Cisco study reveals how hybrid working has improved UAE employees’ performance

Hybrid working practices in UAE companies have improved several areas of employee performance, according to the findings of the new Cisco Hybrid Work Report.

The survey polled 1,050 employees throughout the UAE and discovered that almost 90 per cent of those questioned want to work either in a hybrid or fully remote model in the future. These findings are fully in line with global sentiment with just over 91 per cent of international respondents agreeing to the same question.

The findings are from the Cisco Hybrid Work Report, an extensive study which has examined the impact of digitization and hybrid work on performance with a focus on productivity, quality of work, new skills and growth. It is part of a wide-ranging survey that focused on the role of the hybrid workplace on wellbeing and readiness across a variety of company and individual factors such as company culture; technology; and cybersecurity as well as financial; physical; mental well-being and more.

Reem Asaad, vice-president, Cisco Middle East and Africa, said: “The traditional model that required employees to follow a strict timetable set out by employers has now changed. In today’s UAE workplace, employees are defining hybrid work and that has resulted in benefits for both employer and employees. As the findings of the Cisco Hybrid Work Report clearly show, employees are far more comfortable as a hybrid workforce and companies should take note and adapt accordingly – both from a technology and cultural readiness perspective. After all, they will be the ones to benefit through higher staff performance.”

Those questioned for the study said hybrid and remote working practices had a positive impact on the quality of their work and productivity. In all, 67 per cent of those polled said the quality of their work has improved due to the hybrid workplace model. Almost two-thirds of respondents said their productivity levels had risen.

The greater flexibility offered by hybrid working is enabling employees to get better at their jobs too. 68 per cent replied that they saw greater self-improvement in job knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, an impressive 86 per cent said they have been able to learn, grow and succeed in their roles.

Despite the initial challenges for businesses and employees in the UAE and across the world when organisations had to rapidly switch to remote working at the outbreak of the pandemic, several digital workspace and collaboration solutions are now in place. It is therefore unsurprising that almost 79 per cent of the employees questioned said their role can now be performed just as successfully remotely as in the office.

The Hybrid work concept centers the work experience on the needs of the individual employees, giving them a choice to work from home, at the office, or elsewhere. Companies that empower their workers by giving them not only the choice, but also the right technologies to stay securely connected and be

able to collaborate, can help to foster inclusiveness, engagement, and a sense of well-being among staff. Cisco’s philosophy is that work is “what you do” not “where you go”. As a result, it has implemented many practices aimed at supporting the company’s own employees to work remotely. This provides Cisco with extensive experience in deploying its extensive range of networking, security and collaboration solutions and workplace strategies to help other organizations to fully realise the potential of remote and hybrid working. — business@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai