Should we return to the office?

The Prime Minister has said a “culture of presenteeism” is damaging to productivity^[1] and backed flexible working practices. But with several high-profile businesses demanding more workers return, is calling everyone back to the office really the best idea?

Are more people working from home?

At the height of the pandemic, nearly 50% of the UK workforce did so from home^[2]. Since then, many organisations have transitioned back to the office, allowed fully remote working, or embraced a hybrid model

In the IT sector, ITPro’s Flex Index’s report^[3] found that 79% of the 2,670 surveyed tech firms offered completely flexible working arrangements in 2024, a four per cent increase from 2023. This is mirrored by the number of organisations who enforced strict return to office mandate reducing from eight per cent in 2023, to just three per cent in 2024.

What are the benefits of returning to the office?

Internet giant Amazon announced the end of its hybrid working, with all workers expected back in the office by January 2025. Their chief executive Andy Jassy said the move would help staff be "better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected enough to each other". Disney, football club Manchester United, and coffee shop Starbucks have all issued calls for employees to work most of their week from the office.

Other organisations have cited other reasons for returning to the office, including;

• Improving in-person collaboration and communication - some leaders felt face-to-face communication was more effective than online
• Stronger sense of community – a 2022 Microsoft report said 85% of respondents were motivated to return to the office to rebuild team bonds^[4]
• Improved work-life balance - some employees might find the separation between home and work easier when they can leave work in the office
• Better professional development with chances to network and opportunities for mentorship
• Strengthen the culture of the organisation – some employers felt being in the office gave more chance for employees to feel more connected to the organisation’s values

Do workers want to return?

Whilst organisations promoting a return to the office mandate have provided some credible reasons why time in the physical workplace might be valuable, there are also a number of downsides, not least that employees have become accustomed to the flexibility of remote work.

A study by the Office for National Statistics in 2022 showed more than three-quarters of workers said it gave them a better work-life balance.^[5] Parents working from home no longer have to battle dropping children at school before facing a rush hour commute into the office.

Rather than being less productive, employees found themselves such as – if not more – productive working from home. From a survey of 2,050 full-time workers, 83% of respondents said they are at the same productivity level - or higher^[6].

Other positive benefits around working from home include;

1. Retention - some employees may seek other job opportunities if required to return full-time
2. Less office costs – many workplaces downsized and do not have the space for full capacity of the workforce
3. Less sickness – some employees felt that not being in shared spaces, both the commute and workplace, reduced the number of illnesses they caught
4. Removing the stress and cost of commuting – UK workers spend 251 hours a year travelling to and from work, costing £795.72 annually^[7].
5. More flexibility – workers may have more control over their schedule and flexibility, whereas the office may feel restrictive

Conclusion – a hybrid approach to work

Whilst there is a strong push from larger corporates to return to the office, on balance a hybrid approach may be the best way to get the benefits of both ways of working – for the organisation and the employee, it’s certainly a growing trend. According to an ONS Survey^[8], 44% of workers reported home or hybrid working (September 2022 to January 2023). A higher rate reported hybrid working, with 28% reporting hybrid working and 16% reporting working from home only.

If your business does choose hybrid working there are multiple factors to consider around the health and wellbeing of your employees, such as an ergonomic working environment, boundaries between home and work life, and ensuring access to tools to support their mental health.

Sources

^[1] Starmer endorses remote work and criticises 'presenteeism' for hampering productivity - HRreview

^[2] Coronavirus and homeworking in the UK - Office for National Statistics

^[3] Tech execs pushed for a return to the office - only 3% of firms asking staff to return full-time | ITPro

^[4] Microsoft unveils new Work Trend Index research and technology that helps reconnecting leaders and employees

^[5] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/ishybridworkingheretostay/2022-05-23

^[6] https://resources.owllabs.com/hubfs/SORW/SORW_2021/owl-labs_state-of-remote-work-2021_report-final.pdf

^[7] British workers spend 492 days of their lives travelling to work

^[8] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/characteristicsofhomeworkersgreatbritain/september2022tojanuary2023