Majority of office workers would refuse a job that doesn’t offer remote or hybrid working

New research has revealed that three-quarters of people would turn down a job that doesn’t offer hybrid or remote working, while flexi-working is also preferable to a four day week.

With large businesses such as Amazon, Boots and JP Morgan now insisting that all staff work from the office full-time, and the former head of Asda saying that remote working is “creating a generation who are not doing proper work“, it might seem that the work-from-home revolution is coming to an end.

But a new survey from the Global Payroll Association (GPA)  reveals that the shift in the way we work that was largely brought about due to pandemic restrictions may be permanently deep rooted in the modern-day workforce, to the extent that we would rather have a flexible working arrangement than see the previously fabled four-day week become a reality.

Of the 1,000 UK office workers surveyed by the GPA, 74 per cent stated they either work entirely remotely, or split their week between working from home and at the office, whilst around a quarter (26 per cent) work from the office full-time.

Although some business leaders, such as Jeff Bezos, believe that working from home cultivates dwindling productivity, just seven per cent of those surveyed by the GPA believe it makes them less productive.

In fact, more than half (55 per cent) believe they are actually more productive working from home, with 38 per cent stating they are just as productive as they would be in the workplace.

Furthermore, almost three quarters of those surveyed (73 per cent) say that they are more likely to go ‘above and beyond’ for their employer while working remotely, perhaps committing to earlier starts or working later into the evening.

All in all, 94 per cent of workers say it’s important for them to maintain a degree of flexibility in their working arrangement, so much so, in fact, that three quarters (75 per cent) say they would turn down a job that didn’t offer them this flexibility.

Ideal working arrangement for office employees

While 31 per cent of those surveyed say they want to work remotely all of the time, a larger proportion (43 per cent) would prefer a hybrid working model, splitting their time between home and the office.

Such is the preference for flexible working that it is even more appealing than a four day week, with only 20 per cent saying their first choice would be to dedicate four days to working in the office in exchange for a three day weekend.

Melanie Pizzey, CEO and Founder of the Global Payroll Association, said: “We’ve seen some high profile figures within the world of business look to reverse the pandemic-induced move to a more flexible working life, and it would be fascinating to see the data that backs up their claims that productivity levels have dropped as a result of people working from home.

“However, it’s clear that a flexible working arrangement is now a key requirement in the eyes of many UK workers, so much so that no less than three quarters would now avoid applying for a role that didn’t offer some degree of flexibility.

“What’s more, a higher proportion would rather maintain a flexible working lifestyle instead of seeing the previously fabled four-day week become a reality.

“So whilst there may be a case to prove with respect to the impact remote working can have on productivity, it certainly seems that those firms who completely eradicate it from their professional offering could seriously reduce the talent pool on offer to them when it comes to hiring.”