If five years ago a fortune-teller had told you that someday in the near future, your dog would be your closest thing to a cubicle mate and your office holiday parties would be happening over Zoom, you likely would have said something along the lines of, “No way! Sir Barks-A-Lot can hardly hold a conversation, and what on earth is Zoom?”

But, here we are. Year two of a global pandemic and we’re still working from home, interfacing with our coworkers (mostly) over Slack and Zoom, and begging our neighbor Gloria to reserve her xylophone practices for after 5 p.m. And, it turns out, the majority of partnership professionals like their new normal.

But, what exactly, is the new normal?

Only 4% of the 433 partner professionals we surveyed for the 2022 State of the Partner Ecosystem Report are back in the office full time, with 65% working remotely full time and 31% adopting a hybrid model.

From the 2022 State of the Partner Ecosystem Report

Compare that to the 2021 edition:

From the 2021 State of the Partner Ecosystem Report

And the 2020 edition:

From the 2020 State of the Partner Ecosystem Report

Back to present day.

75% are satisfied with their current balance of remote and in-office work, while 22% said they wish they had more time in the office. 3% said they want more time working remotely.

So, partner professionals? Is it the sweatpants you like? The lunchtime yoga sequences? The judgment-free renditions of “We Are the Champions” every time you close a deal?

Maybe, but let’s dig a little deeper.

In the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are some positive outcomes from our “new normal”: 

With partner professionals continuing to adapt to new workplace situations, they’ve found ways to increase productivity and work fewer hours. 

89% of partner professionals said they are at least equally, if not more, productive working remotely. This is up from 83% in the 2021 report.

The standard workweek has also shifted for partner professionals. For the first time since our 2020 report, an equal number of partner professionals are working 40-hour and 50-hour workweeks (26%). Previously, 50-hour workweeks were the most common. 

As partner professionals continue to navigate the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, there is more good news: 

52% of the 2022 survey-takers were either promoted or received a raise in the past year. Additionally, 83% of survey-takers are optimistic about job security, of which ​​51% are “very optimistic.”