20 January 2024 , 11:04
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With hybrid working becoming widespread after Covid, many office workers have the opportunity to work from home, avoiding long commutes and expensive lunches - but up to a third of workers may by staying away from the office for another reason.
New research suggest that three in ten employees with the option to work from home said they would come into the office more regularly if their boss wasn’t around so much.
Workspace provider beyond commissioned an independent survey of 1,262 UK adults in part-time or full-time employment. The study asked hybrid workers why they avoided coming into the office more often.
Unsurprisingly, cost was the most significant factor in the responses, with two thirds (67%) saying the rising cost-of-living has made them want to work remotely more often in order to save money.
Over half (54%) say they would go in more if their place of work was better located - in this case that means in an area that had more things to their liking or was nearer to their home. Meanwhile 38% said they wished their workspace itself was of a better standard.
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Meanwhile almost one third of respondents said they would head into their workplace more often if their boss was not there. The same number (30%) of hybrid workers say their employer does not offer them the working arrangements that they would like.
Employees said they also preferred working from home due to transport costs and location (Getty Images)Wybo Wijnbergen, CEO of beyond, said: “Most organisations are striving to create a happy, productive culture. For many, building that culture starts with their place of work – the place employees come together to exchange ideas, collaborate and bond as a team.
“But our research clearly shows that when a business has a sub-par workspace – inaccessible, unappealing location or lacking in good facilities – people’s motivation to brave the commute is likely to wane. The cost-of-living crisis has accentuated this point, with employees increasingly having to consider how much it costs them to commute
“Ultimately, flexible working is not just about allowing for the hybrid of remote and office working. It’s also about having workspaces that embrace flexibility, giving people a great experience, with different facilities and spaces to meet the needs of individuals and teams. We should expect this to once again be a defining business trend in 2024.”