A study by UM researchers showed that the majority choose to continue with a mixed work regime once the pandemic is over.
78% of Uruguayan professionals said they prefer, once the pandemic is over, to maintain a working model that is mixed between the face-to-face regime and teleworking.
The data comes from work "Pandemic, sustainable lifestyles and communication: a survey of Uruguayan professionals", carried out by researchers Alicia Santos and Gabriela Guerra, which was presented at the Faculty of Communication of the University of Montevideo (UM).
The study covered six dimensions: work, mobility, well-being, entertainment, consumption and communication.
Regarding work, after having experienced teleworking, the vast majority of the professionals surveyed favored the mixed regime (78%). As a preference, the option of full presence followed with 15% and the full teleworking regime was only chosen by 7%.
In turn, the choice for the mixed regime increases at the two-generational extremes. It is preferred by the youngest and over 60s.
It is, in turn, more characteristic in the upper-middle socioeconomic level and in professionals in the following areas: engineering, humanities and communication and advertising and marketing.
Meanwhile, the option for full attendance increases in the 40 to 49-year-old segment, in men, and in the health and veterinary professions.
Full telecommuting increases to a greater extent in the 30- to 39-year-old segment, in women and in architecture, design and science professionals, the survey notes.
Regarding the reasons for each choice, in the case of a mixed regimen, the main causes for those who preferred this regimen were: it provides more flexible routines, provides a better balance to family and professional life, and avoids wasting time in transfers.
Regarding complete presence, positive reasons were indicated as greater comfort with the workspace, socialization with colleagues and also a better balance between family and professional life.
Meanwhile, those who chose to maintain a complete teleworking regime highlighted in particular as points in favor of this modality "avoiding wasted time in transfers and more flexible routines".
Entertainment, wellness and consumption
Entertainment was the dimension in which professionals suffered the most changes (89%), followed by their mobility routines (79%) and almost six out of ten stated that their consumption habits were affected (59%).
When it came to "well-being," the researchers took three subdimensions: sustainable eating practices, physical well-being, and mental and spiritual well-being.
In general rules, habits with respect to these indicators were maintained, while in relation to physical well-being, four out of ten say they have worsened. Regarding food, three out of ten, on the other hand, feel that they have improved.
As for "well-being", within "physical activity" there are 12% who answered that they didn't do it before and not now. In addition, 28% stated that they stopped doing it.
Of those who stayed or began to do more sport, "perhaps linked to a greater amount of free time or to confinement", 44% chose open public spaces and then, to a lesser extent, they attended virtual classes or clubs at the same time. in which they were open.
In relation to consumer choices, there was a reduction in the consumption of goods (53%), followed by a preference for the acquisition of products and services of a national industry that was around 18%.
With regard to communication, the channels used most frequently to stay informed during the pandemic were television (63%) and web portals (46%); the contents and actions considered the most reliable were state communications (87%) and journalistic contents (57%).
