Photo: SWNS
Working from the comfort of your couch may actually boost your confidence — seven in 10 Americans said they’ve become more confident since working remotely, new research suggests.
In a recent survey of 2,000 Americans who’ve worked remotely during the pandemic, seven in 10 said they find it easier to request more paid time off from their employer, and 67% feel more comfortable asking for flexible working hours and mental/physical wellness support.
That personal confidence is also in line with respondents' views of their employer.
The comforts of working from home seem to have done the trick — people cited being able to email/instant message instead of talking (53%), wear comfortable clothing (52%) and search on Google without being seen (45%) as the top confidence boosters.
And nearly two-thirds said they’ve become more confident asking bolder questions if they were to interview for a new job.
People have used this extra time to exercise (43%), get more chores done (41%) and learn new skills such as making videos (37%). And nearly half said they’re now more confident when cooking/baking (48%).
Remote work has also allowed many to strengthen their relationships with family/friends (52%), become more at ease when it comes to meeting new people (49%) and achieve a wellness goal such as losing/gaining weight (46%).
More than a quarter have even seen a New Year’s resolution through to completion.
When asked about the greatest goal they’ve been able to accomplish while working remotely, people cited taking the time to improve their mental and physical health along with accomplishing career-related goals, such as “being my own boss” and “learning how to invest in the collectibles market.”
Remote work has also inspired many respondents to up the ante in their employment standards — two-thirds said they would now be less tolerant of an unsatisfying job than they were two years ago.
In particular, respondents are less willing to put up with a toxic work environment (55%), “burnout” culture (47%), a low salary (46%) and lack of growth opportunities (42%).
And 65% said they feel fulfilled in their career for the first time in their life.
source: people.com
