A majority of professionals in India believe that going hybrid can bring back work-life balance, according to a recent study launched by LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has launched the ‘Future of Work’ perception study by research firm Censuswide that focuses on the insights of 1,108 respondents in the age group of 16 to 68, who have worked from home during the pandemic due to Covid-19 restrictions.

According to the study, 9 in 10 (86 per cent) professionals in India believe that a hybrid work model will help them strike the right balance between their personal and professional lives.

The survey further focuses on the sentiment of the Indian workforce towards the impact of remote work, their plans to return to work, and work model preferences for the future.

"With a majority of professionals continuing to work remotely, conversations of burnout have increased dramatically across the workforce," the report said.

As per the study, one in three professionals in India reported being burnt out due to increased workload (35 per cent) and stress (34 per cent) while working remotely.

Owing to this, professionals are prioritising their well-being and finding ways to strike the right balance. 52 per cent of professionals believed that work-life balance (52 per cent) is just as important as their salary (52 per cent) today.

Moving forward, professionals think that hybrid work can help them strike the right balance. 48 per cent stated that a hybrid model would allow them to spend equal time on their personal goals and professional lives.

“Long-term remote work has left professionals fatigued in India. This has caused a shift in the idea of what is important in our lives and has led to what we call ‘The Great Talent Reshuffle’. Organizations are rethinking their entire work models, culture, and values, while employees are rethinking not just how they work, but why they work," said Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, LinkedIn.

"At this time, we encourage companies to explore stronger flexible offerings and more mental health time off, as professionals are now seeking a greater balance and more fulfilment in their lives,” Professionals believe going back to office can boost career growth and financial stability," added Gupta.

Hybrid or not, professionals in India are keen to go back to the office. 46 per cent of India’s workforce wants to go back to the office, full time, because it makes them feel more productive and successful in a workplace setting.

As per the study, 7 in 10 (72 per cent) respondents think working from home would negatively impact their career growth while more than half (55 per cent) said their professional learnings had already taken a severe hit. When asked why, more than half (54 per cent) of the workforce stated “less face-time with bosses and leaders”, while one-thirds (34 per cent) said “it gets harder to learn from peers remotely”.

Furthermore, 7 in 10 (71 per cent) respondents agree that those who choose to work more from the office are more likely to be favoured by bosses or leaders. and 89 per cent think going back to the workplace will help their finances because it’ll allow them to work more hours and make more money.

On a lighter note, the study also finds that 72 per cent want to go back because they don’t want to miss out on the fun while 50 per cent say they simply enjoy being around other people and colleagues.

However, for the majority of the respondents, working remotely has had a positive impact on their health. The study showed that more than 9 in 10 (93 per cent) professionals agree that working from home during the pandemic has positively impacted their physical health.

Almost 58 per cent professionals feel healthier, not eating as much takeaway food, while 51 per cent found extra time to exercise more frequently when working remotely. Two in five professionals said that they want to work remotely going forward because it allows them to ‘choose work hours and location’ (42 per cent), and ‘spend more time with their loved ones’ (39 per cent).

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