When nationwide lockdowns forced organisations across Asia Pacific into remote working arrangements in 2020, many anticipated a smooth return to the workplace within a matter of months. Instead, a combination of unrelenting COVID-19 outbreaks across the region, along with a new-found appreciation of the business value of hybrid working, has shifted the general consensus in the past year. No longer a stop-gap emergency measure, organisations have since fully embraced the potential of hybrid arrangements in driving business growth. Such flexible arrangements mean that employees have greater flexibility, and more time to invest in upskilling, boosting their companies’ productivity and agility. And as workers across the region become adept at working remotely, geographical limitations of talent continue to disappear, allowing employers to access a large new pool of global hires. Across Asia Pacific, flexible work has become a key factor when it comes to retaining talent, with more than half (54%).
