Vietnamese laborers prefer hybrid working: survey

By Minh Nga September 15, 2023 | 05:02 pm PT

Office workers at a company in Hanoi, February 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

62% of Vietnamese employees prefer to combine working in the office and working remotely, a new survey has found.

Among 503 employees from various industries surveyed last month by DecisionLab, a partner of YouGov, a British market research firm, and The Sentry, Vietnam's largest social real estate company, 15% of respondents said they prefer working in the office and 14% said they could work anywhere, either at home or office.

Although the hybrid working mode is the most preferred, working-from-home (WFH) is not for everyone, the survey found.

Even though 65% said WFH could offer flexibility and lower stress levels and 62% said it ensured work-life balance, 75% said for WFH to be effective, it requires a high level of focus and discipline and 57% said it was hard for them to build relationships and network.

When asked about important aspects of choosing a workplace, 47% said learning opportunities was the top priority, followed by "company culture" and "income and benefits," both on 46%.

For Gen Z, or those 14-26 years old, learning opportunities was the most important factor when choosing where to work, with 48% of respondents placing it as the top priority.

Meanwhile, half of Gen Y (27-42 years old) consider income and other benefits the top essentials.

Of the survey's respondents, 43% were Gen Z and 50% were Gen Y. As for gender, 51% were female.

Respondents were divided equally between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

"The report indicates that only 9% of employees said they only like working remotely, which suggests that people still value the social and professional benefits of going to offices," said Thue Quist Thomasen, CEO of Decision Lab.

Graphics by DecisionLab

The survey also found that modern workplaces excite employees and that employees are now concerned about their health and well-being and want to work in a place that can enhance their physical and mental wellness.

Regarding the question about innovations in the modern workplace, respondents placed "green/eco-friendly office", "office of wellness" and "reduced working days" as the top three most supported ideas for a modern office.