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What is the future of home working in Norway?

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
What is the future of home working in Norway?
Will workers be forced back to the office or is working from home here to stay? Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash "

Working from home has become the norm for many workers during the pandemic, and new data has revealed whether it's likely to continue in Norway once things return to normal. 

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Figures have revealed whether working from home in Norway would continue after the pandemic ends, and it's good news for those who have come to love the home office. 

The figures come from a survey by the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), and the results were published by newspaper VG

In short, it looks like working from home has made itself at home in Norwegian working life and is here to stay for the foreseeable future. 

"For those who can offer a home office, the pandemic has taught us that it is entirely possible and that in many cases it gives both the company and the individual employee new opportunities," Ole Erik Almlid, head of the NHO, told VG. 

Just under 60 percent of companies surveyed by the organisation said that they introduced working from home during the pandemic.

Nearly half, 45 percent, of the more than 1,200 employers who answered the survey said they would offer a home office a couple of days a week once the pandemic ends. One in ten said they planned on letting employees work from home more than a few days a week. 

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"I think that for everyday life most people will come back to the office and be there most of the time, but with the option of a home office one to two days a week, for those who want it and find it works for them," Almlid said. 

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However, 29 percent of employers who used a home office during the pandemic said that they didn't want working from home to continue once life returns to normal in Norway. 

"We can summarise that the home office has come to stay, but that the main picture is that people will return to their workplace after the pandemic is over," Almlid told VG.

Almlid also added that workers couldn't work from home in a number of industries. 

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"The pandemic has changed our working life, at least those who can work from home. But, 41 percent of companies in Norwegian working life have not offered a home office," the head of the NHO said. 

The head of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise added that employees and employers would need to find solutions to ensure efficiency amongst those working from home doesn't drop. 

"We are positive that the companies and employees will find solutions that both think are the best for them. Trust and flexibility are the keywords, and I am convinced that we find the right solutions," Almid said. 

What do employees think? 

A different survey carried out by the Norwegian Property Association earlier this month revealed that less than half said that they concentrated better while working from home. 

Additionally, 75 percent said that their creativity and their interaction with colleagues has decreased. Half also said that their professional development had deteriorated.

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