With the pandemic changing the nature of work, Microsoft says the workplace is on the cusp of disruption.

Microsoft’s latest report, ‘The Next Great Disruption is Hybrid Work – Are We Ready?’, highlighted a number of trends among the workforce in Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

The report, which also looked at data from LinkedIn, focused on data from Asia Pacific countries in comparison to global data.

Nearly half, or 47% of workers in Asia are likely to consider changing employers (versus the 41% global average) and 56% are likely to consider a career change (versus the 44% global average). In Japan, 38% of workers are likely to consider changing employers within the year.

More than a third, or 35% workers in Asia experienced decreased interactions with co-workers. This was higher than the 40% average across the world.

While 63% of workers in Japan say their productivity levels have remained the same compared to last year, 48% of workers are feeling exhausted (versus 39% global average) and 45% are feeling stressed (versus the 42% global average).

The majority, of 61% of workers in Australia and New Zealand think that their employer cares about their work-life balance (versus the 50% global average).

The study also found that people are more likely to move now they can work remotely: 50% of remote workers in Australia and New Zealand are likely to move to a new location because they can now work remotely (versus 46% globally).

"The world is on the brink of a disruption as great as last year's sudden shift to remote work: the move to hybrid — a blended model where some employees return to the workplace and others continue to work from home," says Rosalind Quek, General Manager, Modern Workplace, Microsoft Asia. "Adapting to this new hybrid model will require rethinking of long-held assumptions.”

Microsoft highlighted seven global work trends, citing its research. These include:

1.     ‘Flexible work is here to stay: 73% of workers surveyed want flexible remote work options to continue, while at the same time, 67% are craving more in-person time with their teams. 

2.     Leaders are out of touch with employees and need a wake-up call: Research shows that 61% of leaders say they are thriving right now – 23% higher than those without decision making power.

3.     High productivity is masking an exhausted workforce: 54% feel overworked while 39% feel exhausted.

4.     Generation Z is at risk and will need to be re-energized: 60% of this generation, those between the ages of 18 and 25, say they are merely surviving or flat-out struggling.

5.     Shrinking networks are endangering innovation: Aggregate trends across billions of Microsoft Teams meetings and Outlook emails show interactions with our broader networks diminished with the move to remote work.

6.     Authenticity will spur productivity and well-being: Co-workers leaned on each other in new ways to get through the last year. 17% say they have cried with a colleague, especially those in healthcare (23%), travel and tourism (21%), and education (20%).

“During this pandemic we've observed a swift acceleration of certain pre-Covid trends,” Karin Kimbrough, Chief Economist, LinkedIn, said. “But perhaps one of the most exciting trends is this rise in remote work. As opportunity is democratised with remote work and talent movement, we'll see a spread of skills across the country and this is the time for business leaders to take the opportunity to access to different skills and talent not previously available to them."