More UK office workers coming in daily than hybrid
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — The number of British office workers coming into work every day has overtaken those on hybrid schedules for the first time since pandemic restrictions ended, according to a new survey.
The recruitment company Hays Plc found that 43% of white-collar staff were entirely office-based last month, up from 36% a year ago. Meanwhile, the share on a hybrid pattern – spending some time working from home – dipped to 39% from 43% in 2022. Less than one in five now work fully remotely.
Despite the rise in office attendance, employers are still unsatisfied. Almost a quarter plan to increase staff presence over the next year, the report revealed.
“Organizations would prefer to have people in the office, but the workers themselves are saying that they wish to have flexibility,” said Gaelle Blake, Hays’ head of permanent recruitment for the UK and Ireland.
Separate research has shown some employees are resisting demands to come in. Staff only attend the office for two days a week when employers mandate three or four, per AWA consultancy. And a BCG study found less than 70% comply with full-time office policies.
“Line managers demonstrate flexibility because they want to retain talent,” said Mark Hall, UK head at LHH Recruitment Solutions.
London has the lowest full-time office attendance in the UK at less than a third of staff. Yet Londoners are also least likely to be fully remote, reflecting a middle ground between workers and firms in the competitive jobs market, according to Blake.
