India’s workforce is still not prepared to resume their five-day workweeks at an office like they did before the outbreak.

According to a recent survey by the job search engine Indeed, flexibility was ranked as the most important factor by 71% of Indian professionals, or roughly two out of three.

“This includes the ability to work from home, set your own hours, and take breaks as needed,” the job portal added.

Working professionals now place a higher value on flexibility since it helps them achieve a better work-life balance and increases their productivity.

For working professionals, “work modes” including hybrid or remote arrangements came in second place (70%) in Indeed’s study, which included information from more than 1,200 job searchers in India.

Conversely, just 67% of job searchers take into account the pay package. This covers pay, perks, health coverage, family leave, and any other training programmes a business may offer.

Employers are less likely to provide this flexibility now than they were in the past since professionals desire the freedom to work where they can be most effective.

“Employers’ attitudes towards remote work remains at odds with the preferences of job seekers in India,” Sashi Kumar, Indeed India’s head of sales told CNBC Make It.

“The latter remain keenly interested in remote work, whereas employers are far less likely to mention ‘work from home’ in the job ads they post.”

In June, 6.5% of job listings on the platform specifically mentioned terms like “work from home” or “remote work” in their job descriptions, according to Indeed.

Although that number has “drifted upwards” thus far in 2023, it still remains well below the levels seen in 2021, it was stated.

On the other hand, Indeed discovered that job searches for remote or hybrid positions are still higher than 10%.

In addition, the poll found that 63% of respondents preferred working in a hybrid environment, which allowed them to alternate between working from home and an office.

Only 51% of the 561 employers who responded to the poll claimed to offer such choice.

Kumar claims that a number of issues are causing businesses to want their workers back in the workplace.

“Companies are eager to restore a sense of pre-Covid normalcy, and bringing employees back to the office is seen as a step towards achieving that,” he explained.

Organisations must continue to be flexible and open-minded in order to respond to these changes as the nature of work undoubtedly changes.

“The traditional office environment has long been a cornerstone of corporate culture, and for many, it represents a place of communication, collaboration, and innovation.”

Additionally, workers believe that being physically present at work will “enhance productivity” and assure better responsibility.

But Kumar went on to say that “the future of work is undoubtedly evolving, and it’s essential for organisations to remain open-minded and adaptable in response to these changes.”

Given the current state of the economy, hiring managers are becoming more cautious, which has resulted in longer job interview processes for candidates.

The amount of time it takes to hire a new employee reached “an all-time high” in 2023, according a report released in June by HR consultant Josh Bersin Company in association with workforce solutions provider AMS.

According to the survey, the length of the hiring process increased by one day on average for the first quarter of 2023 across all industries, bringing it to 44 days on average.

This may be the reason why Indeed’s survey revealed that job seekers in India needed “more transparency and clarity” regarding positions and the interviewing process.

Only 15% of candidates receive feedback from employers following interviews within 10 to 15 business days, while 63% must wait between 15 and 30 business days, according to the study’s findings.

In addition, 48% of respondents to the study who were job seekers said they wanted to know the wage range from employers before applying for a position.

While the time of the hiring process varies depending on the size of the business, the industry, and the position, Kumar stressed the importance of “clear communication”—particularly when attrition rates are high.

In the competition for talent, businesses may also stand to lose. 78% of job applicants would abandon or seriously consider abandoning lengthy recruiting processes, according to a 2022 worldwide poll of more than 3,700 job seekers.

“Prompt communication … reduces uncertainty for applicants, and helps employers focus on the best-fit candidates for their organization,” Kumar added.

“Employers who want to attract and retain top talent need to be aware of these preferences and be willing to adapt.”

(Adapted from CNBC.com)