Return To Office Survey - IMA Asia

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Asia CEO Forum
Return to Office Survey
Key findings
November 29, 2021
Asia CEO Forum

Asia CEO Forum
Headcount
Global
Regional
N=72
6.9%

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Nature of business
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
Summary of findings
➢ No return to the ‘everyone in the office on all days’ world.
➢ Flex working important for attracting and retaining talent, though
there are concerns about reduced collaboration.
➢ 2-3 days WFH, mandatory office days, & no change in compensation.
➢ Stronger adoption of flex working in Singapore and ANZ; less
adoption in India, China, SE Asia, and North Asia.
➢ Office footprint will shrink between 8-23% in different countries with
the biggest cuts in Singapore, Taiwan, and ANZ.
➢ Flex office space will be part of the solution.
➢ Offices will be redesigned to become more collaborative.

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Flexible work is here to stay

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No returning to the pre-pandemic world–
flexible work is here to stay
➢ No returning to the pre-pandemic ‘everyone-in-office’ world for 73% companies
➢ 40% of companies will allow flexibility to employees worldwide
➢ Another third will let countries decide the degree of flexibility
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦’𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐓𝐎 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝?
N=72
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
Flexible work policies - made at HQ but
adapted for APAC
➢ Most companies have a global framework for ‘return to office’ policies
➢ But 70% of them have adapted it suit the local circumstances in Asia
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 the relationship between your global policies and Asia-Pacific policies?
N=72

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Flexible working is necessary to attract and
retain employees
➢ Ability to attract and retain employees is important for most (74% in top two)
➢ Higher productivity and lower real estate cost are relatively less important (38% in top two)
➢ Carbon footprint, a wider talent pool also mentioned. Also, ‘no choice!’
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
Risks - Reduced collaboration, dilution of
company culture
➢ Reduced collaboration the biggest concern with flexible working (63% in top 2)
➢ Dilution of company culture (53%) and less effective customer interface (35%)
➢ However, loss of productivity, lack of management oversight and weakened
corporate image are not big concerns (about 17%)
➢ Grooming and onboarding of young staff also mentioned as a concern
Less effective
customer interface
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
Singapore, ANZ top adopters of flexible
working; India and China lag
67%
66%
58%
52%
48% 47% 47% 47%
42%
40% 39%
37% 36% 35%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Singapore NZ Australia Malaysia Indonesia Philippines Taiwan Thailand HK Japan Vietnam Korea India China
% of companies where over 50% will work remote
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
Over 60% in ANZ and SG will work from home;
just 40% in North Asia
63%
61%
58%
53% 52% 52% 51%
47% 47%
45% 44%
41%
39%
37%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
NZ Singapore Australia Thailand Philippines Malaysia Indonesia Taiwan Vietnam India HK Japan Korea China
% of employees working remotely
N=72

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Contours of the ‘Return to Office’ policies

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Employees will work 2-3 days from home
➢ Over 50% will allow 2-3 days a week
➢ Over a quarter will let managers and employees negotiate
➢ Very few will allow complete choice to employees
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 likely to be the maximum number of days employees will be
allowed to work from home?
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
However, employees will be expected in office
on certain days
➢ Only 18% will not require employees to return to office on certain days
➢ 60% will have office days, mostly mandated by the management
➢ 22% still undecided
Will you specify mandatory office days?
N=72

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Flexible workers will still largely be tethered to
the country
➢ This is one area where a large number (35%) are still undecided
➢ Of those who have clarity:
▪ A third will allow only in the city where the employee was hired;
▪ 38% within the country; and
▪ About a quarter will not place any restrictions.
Will you restrict where staff with flexibility can work from?
N=72

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Flexible work will not change compensation
➢ No change in compensation structure in 74% companies
➢ Salary / allowance will drop in 2% and increase in 2%
➢ Nearly a fifth undecided
Will compensation change for flexible workers?
N=72

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Impact of flexible work on office space

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Expect footprint reduction and flexible
workplaces
➢ Nearly half will reduce the office footprint; 72% of them will complement it with flex
space
➢ 38% will keep the existing office space; 40% of them will also add flexible space
➢ Just 1% will add new office space
➢ Overall, 52% will use flexible space
What will be the impact of flexible working on your office space strategy?
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
Offices will be redesigned to fit their new
purpose
➢ 71% will increase collaboration spaces
➢ 65% will reduce assigned seats
➢ 34% will increase recreation and wellness spaces
➢ 40% will increase the number of telephone booths
➢ No clear picture on office density
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
Half or more of SG and Aust companies will
shrink their footprint
62%
50%
46% 45%
36% 36% 36%
33% 32% 31%
29%
26%
24%
22%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
% of companies that will shrink office space
N=72

Asia CEO Forum
7-23% reduction in office space – SG, Taiwan,
NZ, HK, and Aust lead
23%
17% 17%
15% 15%
13% 13%
12%
9% 9% 9%
7% 7% 7%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Singapore Taiwan NZ HK Australia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Japan Korea India China Indonesia Malaysia
Average % of office space reduction
N=72

Return To Office Survey - IMA Asia

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