Over 50 Per Cent of UK Workforce Happy to Work From Home Permanently

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• Over 50 Per Cent of UK Workforce Happy to Work From Home Permanently

26 October 2020 | Updated 28 October 2020

A new survey of 1,000 UK office workers has revealed that 54 per cent are happy to continue working from home for as long as necessary. 

30 per cent are happy working from home but miss the office. 39 per cent of UK workers miss their colleagues but 26 per cent like being able to spend more time with their pets whilst working from home.

Heading back to the office in the future, 11 per cent say they will miss their view, wearing their pyjamas (11 per cent) and their slippers (12 per cent).

 

47 Per Cent Returned to Work Part-Time

 

In accordance with the revised government guidance, many UK workers have packed up their desks and headed back home. 

The research carried out by Moneypenny, the outsourced communication provider, states that after the relaxing of the original COVID-19 measures, 70 per cent of the UK workforce headed back to the office, 47 per cent of those on a full-time basis. 

Furthermore, 47 per cent returned on a part-time basis, splitting their time between working from home and the office. 6 per cent of workers were also introduced to staggered hours. 

 

Those in West Midlands More Likely to Head Back to Office Full Time

 

West Midlands’ office workers (41 per cent) were the most likely to go back to the office full time. On the other hand, those in Yorkshire (20 per cent), were least likely to go back.

Now, with COVID-19 infection rate rising, workers have been advised to work from home wherever possible. 

37 per cent of those originally returned to the office, have now reverted to working from home once more.

When looking at the regional data, 57 per cent of office workers in the South East have now returned to working from home. Yorkshire saw the lowest occurrence of this activity with 26%.

Furthermore, 42 per cent of Yorkshire workers stated they were awaiting preparations allowing them to return to working from home.

On the whole, 21 per cent of workers have stated they will continue to work in the office. 

Those in the North East (30 per cent) and East Midlands (31 per cent) revealed that they too were staying put in the office environment.

Back in August, research from the BBC showed that fifty of the biggest UK employers have no plans to return all staff to the office full-time in the near future Questioning 50 employers ranging from banks to retailers to ask about their future working plans, owing to tiered lockdown restrictions, this trend shows no signs of slowing.

 

52 Per Cent Enjoy Dressing in Casual Clothes

 

With over half of the UK stating they are happy to continue to work from home, the survey shows why working from home is the more preferable option for many.

On the whole, the findings revealed that 59 per cent enjoy not spending time and money on the commute. 

Secondly, being able to dress in casual clothes was another popular aspect of not working in an office (52 per cent). 26 per cent stated that not having to wear make-up was another advantage of working from home. 

The freedom to decide when breaks were taken was another favourable choice with respondents, 42 per cent stated this was the best aspect of working from home. 

Personal factors, such as more time to spend with a partner or children (31 per cent) or more time spent with pets (26 per cent) were also popular choices amongst respondents. 

 

Picture: a graphic showing the top five things that UK office workers enjoy about working from home: being able to run errands, sleeping in later, choice over when you have breaks, wearing casual clothes and no commute.

 

39 Per Cent Miss Their Colleagues, 4 Per Cent Miss Their Work Husband/Wife

 

On the other hand, there were some elements of the office that workers missed.

39 per cent stated that they miss their colleagues. Interestingly, 4 per cent miss their work husband/wife, however, the vast majority (90 per cent) said they were in contact with them socially at least once a month. A further 9 per cent miss their office chair. 7 per cent miss their desk and other office environment aspects. 

10 per cent of UK office workers found working from home to be difficult, 14 per cent confessed to being less productive without an “office routine”.

 

22 Per Cent Would Take Their Dog Back to the Office

 

The study also highlighted what workers would incorporate into the office after their work from home experience.  22 per cent of workers stated upon return to the office, they would take their dog with them, similarly, 17 per cent shared that they would take their cat. 

35 per cent in the future, would like a comfortable dress code. Furthermore, 11 per cent would like to continue wearing their pyjamas and 12 per cent slippers.

In addition, office workers gardens and views would be also missed. 20 per cent say they will miss the garden, and 11 per cent of workers wish to take their view with them upon return to the office. 

However, 19 per cent said they would not take anything back to the office from their working from home routine. 

Picture: a photograph of a person working on a laptop, wearing headphones, sitting on a sofa

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 26 October 2020

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