29 January 2024 , 10:20
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A third of employers have seen a rise in staff working from home over the past year, according to a new study.
The research, which surveyed over 1,000 managers, also found that one in five reported a reduction in physical workspace as a reason for implementing home working. Acas, who conducted the survey, highlighted that anyone who has worked for their employer for 26 weeks or more has the right to request flexible working. From April, this right will apply from the first day of employment.
The organisation has released a new draft Code of Practice on requests for flexible working to help everyone understand the upcoming changes. Acas' chief executive, Susan Clews, said: "There has been a global shift to flexible working following the pandemic and it is clear from our poll that there's a continued appetite among staff and employers."
She added: "Some businesses have benefited by reducing office costs as well as attracting the best talent. Staff can find flexible working valuable to better balance their working lives." She also mentioned that home or hybrid working are just some examples of an array of flexible working arrangements that are available.
"Our new draft Code encourages employers to take a positive approach to flexible working and covers the new law changes." she concluded. The participants were asked about the extent to which the proportion of employees working from home in their business has increased or decreased in the last 12 months.
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One in 10 people reported a significant increase, while an additional 20% noticed a slight rise. However, half of the people said there had been no change at all.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]