Al Riyadh, 1 June 2022: Employees in Europe, Middle East and Africa who practice hybrid working models as part of their digitizing workplaces, have experienced better overall wellness in areas such as mental, physical and financial wellbeing, according to the new Cisco Global Hybrid Work Report.
The study polled over 10 thousand employees across the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) countries. Overall, 76 percent said hybrid and remote working has improved all aspects of their wellbeing. In addition, just over 75 percent reported their work-life balance has improved, mainly due to more flexible work schedules. Close to 60 percent said they saved at least four hours per week thanks to reduced commuting times, while 22 percent saved eight or more hours a week.

The findings are part of the Cisco Hybrid Work Report, an extensive study which – among others - examined five key areas of employee wellbeing including financial; physical; mental; social and emotional wellbeing.

Social Wellbeing
Modern life is fast paced leaving many people with little time to spend with family and friends. It is no surprise that 39 percent of those surveyed said they reinvested the extra time with family, friends and pets. 67 percent said hybrid work has improved family relationships, while almost 46 percent said hybrid working has improved relationships with friends.

Financial Wellbeing
An often-overlooked benefit of the hybrid workplace is the amount of money that can be saved by avoiding the daily commute to and from the office. This includes savings on fuel costs, as well as the money spent on small items such as buying a coffee or meals, which can quickly add up during a week. Unsurprisingly, 69 percent said they saved money while working remotely, while 84 percent believed these savings can be maintained over the long-term. With so many employees from EMEA experiencing the financial benefits, almost 67 percent of those polled said they would take these savings into account when considering changing jobs.

Emotional and Mental Wellbeing
Emotional health impacts on many areas of our lives and can be improved as a cumulative effect that encompasses other fields such as social wellbeing. As such 53 percent of people questioned said hybrid and remote working has improved their emotional wellbeing. Interestingly, just over 78 percent of responders also said hybrid working made them happier with 55 percent saying remote work has helped them to reduce their stress levels.

Physical Wellbeing
This sense of wellbeing also extends to an individual’s physical health with 60 percent of those questioned saying their physical fitness has improved, as they exercise more when working remotely and changed their eating habits.