New research finds U.S.-based employees are embracing and enjoying remote work with many calling for ‘automation software’ to drive further efficiencies and to support permanent flexibility in 2021

Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, released findings from the Nintex Workplace 2021 Study revealing that a majority of employees working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States have been more productive than they expected, with many reporting a desire for automation to further boost productivity from their home office.

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In a survey* of 1,000 U.S.-based full-time American workers at companies with 501-50,000 employees, Nintex found that 70 percent of those surveyed report that their experiences working from home have been better and more productive than they expected, citing more family time, no commute, fewer interruptions, and improved work-life balance. While the majority of employees reported getting work done more efficiently since transitioning to full-time remote work, more than a third (37 percent) are calling for their companies to adopt automation software to make them even more productive.

“Every organization can improve the experiences for their employees, regardless of where they work, by simply automating workflows and turning paper-based and repetitive processes into fully digital ones,” said Nintex Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer Dustin Grosse. “Employees across every job role and generation are looking for workplaces that are flexible and offer automation tools that make work faster, easier, and more enjoyable.”

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The report, which gauges employee sentiment on important remote work topics, also provides insight into the eventual return to the office, generational gaps, and what employees want in order to do their jobs better.

Highlights from the study include:

• Work is getting done faster at home. Sixty-seven percent of employees report being more efficient since transitioning to full-time remote work. Of those respondents, 41 percent — the largest group — said they are getting their work done in far fewer hours now per week.
• Say ‘goodbye’ to monotonous work. Software solutions are in high demand, with 39 percent of respondents saying access to software that helps them automate manual and repetitive tasks would improve their work life in 2021.
• Boomers want a raise, Zoomers want automation. Whereas Baby Boomers are more financially motivated, the new generation of workers is more process driven. Boomers feel more compensation would improve their work. Gen Zers, however, desire more technology to help them automate aspects of their work. In fact, 55 percent of Gen Z respondents listed automation software as the top thing that would make them more productive at work.
• Employees are split on the return to the office. Despite positive experiences working from home, 56 percent of employees whose companies have announced plans to return to the office are very excited by the prospect. Yet, half (50 percent) of all respondents said their work life would improve with the ability to permanently work remotely.

“Business leaders around the country recognize that we will not go back to the way things were before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Grosse said. “The Nintex Workplace 2021 Study shines a light on the new work paradigm and offers actionable insights into what employees want — a more flexible workplace where automation is leveraged to improve the way people work.”

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