Page 19 - Accelerating Research and Impact - Issue 5

Social Findings revealed in Pandemic 16
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the HKSAR Government and many organisations have adopted work from home (WFH) practice for months. A survey conducted by the School of Graduate Studies (GS) in April 2020 revealed that over 80% of respondents prefer WFH for at least one day per week even after the pandemic. More than 70% of respondents said WFH allowed them to have more time to rest while 64% said the practice helped reduce work stress.
Prof Ada WONG, Associate Professor of Teaching, GS and Programme Director of Master of Social Sciences in Organisational Psychology and Education Management, said that although 81.6% of respondents preferred WFH for at least one day in the long run, objection from management and the self-employed was in a higher proportion.
Dr Frankie King-sun LAM, Associate Dean of GS and Programme Director of Master of Social Sciences in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour, said that since most surveyed respondents showed positive feedback about WFH, companies can consider to adopt it in the long run as an option for their family-friendly policy.
He advised that, without damaging the core values of Hong Kong as a free economy, the Government should play an advocacy role in encouraging research on the feasibility of WFH and ways to improve employees’ sense of belonging and productivity, in order to promote family-friendly work policies.
Working from home
Count
400
300
200
100
0
Management
Middle grade
Frontline or basic level
Self-employed
Others
When the current coronavirus crisis is over, would you still want to continue working from home?
No
Yes, once a week
Yes, twice a week
Yes, 3 days or more a week