More than 4 in 10 Belgians experience less stress whilst teleworking

• 23% of Belgians even claim they are more productive when teleworking
• Almost 1 in 5 make video calls with friends or family on a daily basis
• 54% of consumers communicate more with their friends and family since the lockdown started

As the country progressively exits the lockdown caused by Covid-19, Orange Belgium conducted a survey and analyzed network figures to determine how Belgians were coping with staying at home. It appears that Belgians are less stressed when teleworking, feel more connected to their family and follow the news more closely.

#StayConnectedToColleagues

Almost half of those still working right now are working from home. As it turns out, compared to working at the office, 42 percent of employees experience less job-related stress when teleworking. More than 6 in 10 Belgians work at least as efficiently from home, with 23 percent claiming they are more productive. Almost 4 in 10 (38%) complain they can’t handle the same workload from their homes. This number climbs to 43 percent for people who take care of their children at home; it drops to 34 percent for childless employees.

#StayConnectedToFamily

Belgians have never been so connected to their friends and families. More than half of respondents (54%) said contact with their friends and family has intensified during the Covid-19 crisis. We primarily stay in touch by chatting on our phones: more than half of us (54%) chat every day while 43 percent call their friends and family at least once a day. Belgians are also showing more interest (51%) in the news and have (re)discovered certain activities, with 37% saying they’ve been cooking more while 30% spend more time reading.

Video calls are booming

Whether to consult our colleagues or have an e-drink with family or friends, video calls have become very popular. According to the Orange Belgium survey, 1 in 4 make work-related video calls at least once a day and 68 percent have at least one a week. We also use video calls to stay in touch with friends and family. Almost 1 in 5 talk to friends or family on a daily basis.

“It is not a surprise to see that people are more in touch with each other during this special period”, says Christophe Dujardin, Chief Consumer Business Officer of Orange Belgium. “We as an operator have a critical role to play during this lockdown as we keep our customers connected to their friends and family. We offer them the best connectivity to work from home and stay informed and entertained.”