Hybrid working may have had an overall positive impact on the health of workers, a new global research study has shown.
Research among more than 2,000 hybrid workers by IWG, a flexible workspace provider, revealed that the switch to more time at home led to multiple health and wellbeing benefits, including weight loss, better cooking habits, improved mental health, and improved sleep.
The average hybrid worker is now getting 4.7 hours of exercise a week, compared to 3.4 hours before the pandemic. The most common forms of exercise noted were walking, running and strength training.
Hybrid employees are also sleeping longer, with the additional time in bed each morning equating to 71 extra hours – or three days – of sleep per year.
Eating habits have also dramatically improved. Some 70% of the survey respondents said hybrid working gave them the time to prepare a healthy breakfast every day, while more than half (54%) had more time to spend cooking nutritious meals during the week.
Mark Dixon, CEO of IWG said, the study confirmed what many in the workplace industry had known for some time: “Hybrid working is building and maintaining a healthier and happier workforce by reducing the need for long daily commutes”.
“Offering hybrid working is such an important and easy way for businesses to put their employees first by freeing up their time and giving them greater control over their schedules,” he said. “Organisations that have adopted hybrid working are not only seeing healthier and happier workforces, but more engaged and productive teams.”
