Only 34% of employees work four or more days per week, which is less than the average rate for the world, which is 50%.
Employers and businesses are at odds, with 74% of corporations anticipating higher office attendance.
Career advancement for hybrid workers is limited, according to 75% of organizations, putting it at risk.
UK employees work less hours per week than employees in any other nation, but when their discontent with their workplace increases, they wish to work fewer hours per week. This is supported by a recent study conducted by the world authority on workplace design, Unispace.
Returning for Good, a Unispace Global Workplace Insights report, found that just 34% of employees in the UK are in the office four or more days a week, the lowest percentage of any nation’s workforce. The report’s findings were based on an extensive survey of 9,500 employees and 6,650 business leaders from 17 different countries.
Only 21% of workers in the UK are currently content to spend four or more days a week at work, in spite of these relatively low attendance rates. Employees wish to cut back on the number of days spent at work even more.
With 56% of employees reporting that their office is set up for hot-desking, more than double the global average of 48%, the practice is prevalent in the UK. 76% of individuals who hot-desk would be more likely to visit the workplace frequently if they had a designated desk.
Workers and employers at odds
The information did show a misalignment between employers and employees, which points to a communication gap. Only 53% of UK workers anticipate working at least four days per week in the future, but employers are more inclined to believe that a return is imminent, with 74% anticipating it within the next year.
While 75% of employers noted that hybrid workers’ opportunities for career advancement, such as wage raises, promotions, and bonuses, employees are less aware of this risk, with only 59% saying they think it will be true.
Employees in the UK also showed the lowest levels of firm loyalty (68% vs. 77% globally), while employers similarly underestimated this, with 74% thinking their staff members were committed to their business.
“Results from the UK show that employees are now in control and are more able than ever to demand more from their employers about where and how they choose to work. However, there is a glaring lack of communication between employees and employers, as evidenced by the divergent opinions held by the two groups regarding future office returns and the effect of hybrid working on career advancement. Businesses must find a method to strike the proper balance between motivating individuals to develop new routines and go to work and also providing them with compelling reasons to do so.
Businesses will only continue to have recruiting and retention problems if they do not address the fundamental issues around workplace returns, as 58% of workers nationwide are still hesitant to return to the office, even if it affects their career prospects. This entails paying attention to what UK workers want, such as establishing more private places and imitating the advantages of home offices while still reaping the rewards of collaborative and communal workspaces.
Also Read: Unispace: Office mandates are making hiring in Germany harder
Source: HRTech Series
