Nearly half of all businesses in the UK are calling for staff to increase their time in the office.
The retail and financial industries are leading the way with a push this year to get more members of staff back into the office – preferably on a full-time basis.
Some companies are using a pay bonus to entice staff back.
Why are companies back-tracking?
Working from home became a necessity during the pandemic, and for the great majority, flexible working has continued post-pandemic. Only occasional visits to the office have become the norm for swathes of the British workforce – so why the shift?
Although flexible working does work for many companies, it’s most definitely not a one-size-fits all solution. It may suit the employee, but many employers are finding the model is hindering sales, expansion and development.
Who’s Leading the Push?
A recent survey by the British Chambers of Commerce found that the new trend of getting employees back into the office is being led by manufacturers and customer-facing businesses, where being ‘on-site’ cannot be successfully mirrored through homeworking. The push continues, even though one in ten companies have reported staff quitting once their flexible working was removed.
Most employers stated that productivity and innovation increase when employees are together. The survey by the BCC found that only 17% of companies believed home working or flexible working aided productivity.
For more information on this topic, read an article from the Independent here.
Have you got more of your team now working from the office?
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For more information on our how our team can help you, visit our website here.