By SWNS Staff
NEWS COPY W/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
According to new research, 62% of Americans working from home are considering moving to a new country.
A survey of 2,000 Americans working remotely asked if they would want to live anywhere in the world and if the pandemic has helped that become a reality.
The majority of respondents (58%) said they’d opt to live in a major city if they could live anywhere, but 42% said they’d move to a small town or village and 41% would go so far as to live in the woods.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Simform, the survey found that 82% of respondents said their employer is allowing them to work from home indefinitely.
Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed also shared their companies have allowed all of their employees to work from home permanently.
Now that they’re working remotely, 70% of respondents feel like they finally have the opportunity to travel and live wherever they want.
As respondents continue working remotely, 66% of those surveyed are seriously considering moving to a new city in the U.S.
In fact, 62% have already moved to a new city and 52% have taken the leap and moved to a new country.
The survey also took a look at the top benefits of working remotely and found 66% said flexible working hours is the biggest perk, followed by sleeping in later or going to bed later at 49%.
Seven in 10 respondents also said not having to commute every day for work has made them much happier.
However, 57% of those surveyed aren’t the happiest at their current job and are looking for a new gig – at an average of four times a week.
Sixty-four percent of these respondents are even applying for new jobs on their current company’s work computer.
The top reason respondents are job hunting is their desire to relocate or move to another country, at 62%.
Six in 10 respondents on the job hunt want to expand their skill sets and 39% want to experience a new industry.
“The results show that Americans are hungry for new experiences in the workplace,” said a spokesperson for Simform. “Thirty-eight percent of respondents said one of the top things they’re looking for when they do look for a new job is career development. In today’s gig economy, there are more opportunities than ever to find side hustle or another opportunity to learn new skills and expand your expertise to further your career.”
Sixty-eight percent of all respondents said they’d much rather stay at their current job, even if they’re unhappy, than enter the job market right now because of uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.
And even if respondents were to leave their current job, 69% would only accept an offer if they were allowed to work remotely full-time.
“It’s clear Americans are reevaluating their priorities in life when it comes to work,” continued the spokesperson. “Remote working opens the door to endless possibilities to enhance your career by working with different people within different industries.”
TOP BENEFITS OF REMOTE WORKING
- Flexible working hours - 66%
- Sleeping in later/going to bed later - 49%
- Flexibility on where I can work from - 47%
- Not having to commute - 43%
MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS AMERICANS ARE LOOKING FOR IN A NEW JOB
- Benefits package - 50%
- Money/salary - 45%
- Job security - 42%
- Working environment - 39%
- Career development - 38%
- Job itself - 36%
- Recognition - 34%
- Relationship with colleagues - 27%
- Responsibility - 24%
- Challenge - 14%
