Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Working from homeHybrid workingLatest NewsFlexible working

Hybrid working: employees reluctant to return to workplace

by Adam McCulloch 14 Jul 2022
by Adam McCulloch 14 Jul 2022 Many offices remain sparsely populated as homeworking remains popular
Photo: Shutterstock
Many offices remain sparsely populated as homeworking remains popular
Photo: Shutterstock

New data reveals a clear majority of UK organisations are still encountering challenges implementing hybrid working, with reluctance to return to the workplace the leading issue faced by employers. Old fashioned ideas around productivity and location of workplace were also still causing friction at some organisations.

Of the 292 organisations surveyed by XpertHR, almost all (95%) operate a hybrid model. For most (59%) organisations, staff generally spend between two to three days working from home each week. However, more than a third (37%) of staff reported being unhappy with this split and would prefer to spend even less time in the office. Nearly all (95%) said they’d experienced challenges with implementation of hybrid schemes.

Reluctant returners are by no means a new phenomenon. In XpertHR’s 2021 report, a similar share of organisations (75%) said they had experienced unwillingness to return to the workplace.

The main reasons for it then were rooted in concerns around contracting Covid-19, but in this year’s survey XpertHR found motivations had shifted away from the downsides associated with going into the office and more towards the benefits of working from home – for example saving money on commuting and childcare arrangements.

Survey respondents were clear on the benefits of hybrid working for employers and employees alike, including improved work-life balance, increased productivity, improved engagement and a positive impact on attracting and retaining staff.

Homeworking in the UK 2022

Homeworking in the UK more than doubles

Alan Sugar rages at hybrid working

Why we should not cut pay for home workers

How to implement a hybrid working model

While improved work-life balance as a result of hybrid working was expected, there were more question marks around the impact this model would have on productivity. Survey respondents were clear that productivity has improved or increased, with many referencing the blend of remote working with workplace attendance allowing for better use of employees’ time – focused work can be done while remote, while in-person interactions can have employees’ full attention while in the workplace.

However, respondents also identified some of its pitfalls. Four in 10 (40%) UK organisations said they were observing a growing disconnect between staff members who work from home and those who go into the office, and fear a divide is beginning to form.

Noelle Murphy, senior HR practice editor at XpertHR, said that old fashioned ideas that led to presenteeism were still present at some workplaces: “HR has managed one of the biggest changes to working life since the industrial revolution with hybrid working, but it is still a work in progress. Challenges continue and HR will need to continue to address these, while ensuring this new way of working delivers for all employees – and that includes people managers and senior leaders.

“HR is clear that there is work to be done challenging the outdated view that presenteeism means productivity, and that where the work is done is less important than the quality of the work produced. While there are retention challenges facing employers right now, it is even more important that HR can continue to evolve and tweak hybrid working models to ensure they support and facilitate a culture of connection and collaboration that will deliver engaged employees and a successful business.

“Communication models need to support hybrid working and can demonstrate  transparency and fairness both in the design and rollout of their working model. An emphasis on intentional communication and interactions – remote or face-to-face – and encouraging accountability among all employees for their role in team engagement and connection will build a culture that will facilitate highly effective hybrid working and continue to deliver sound benefits for the business.”

Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today


Browse more human resources jobs

Adam McCulloch
Adam McCulloch

Adam McCulloch is a freelance writer and production editor who has worked in sectors including travel (The Guardian), aviation (Flight International), agriculture (Farmers' Weekly), music (Jazzwise), theatre (The Stage) and social work (Community Care). He also works for a national newspaper and is the author of KentWalksNearLondon

previous post
The risks of sexual harassment in the metaverse
next post
Train drivers will strike on Saturday 30 July

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

July saw highest number of job adverts for...

12 Aug 2022

Transport sector recruitment ‘should be overhauled to improve...

12 Aug 2022

Liz Truss comments on Civil Service dismissed as...

12 Aug 2022

Hot summers, hot desks – employment law advice...

12 Aug 2022

Sharp rise in firms offering enhanced parental leave...

11 Aug 2022

Working in a heatwave: what should employers consider?

11 Aug 2022

Zero-hours contract benefits ‘can outweigh negatives for workers’

11 Aug 2022

Nearly 14,000 whistleblowing reports of furlough fraud received...

11 Aug 2022

Skills passport and new qualifications for care workers...

11 Aug 2022

Uber has more drivers than ever as worker...

11 Aug 2022
  • 6 reasons why work-based learning is better than traditional training PROMOTED | A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 71% of CEOs are anticipating that this year’s biggest business disrupter...Read more
  • Strengthening Scotland’s public services through virtual recruiting PROMOTED | This website is Scotland's go-to place for job seekers looking to apply for roles in public services...Read more
  • What’s next for L&D? Enter Alchemist… PROMOTED | It’s time to turn off the tedious and get ready for interactive and immersive learning experiences...Read more
  • Simple mistakes are blighting the onboarding experience PROMOTED | The onboarding of new hires is a company’s best chance...Read more
  • Preventing Burnout: How can HR help key workers get the right help? PROMOTED | Workplace wellbeing may seem a distant memory...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+