Businesses plan long-term return to office despite home working boom
Most businesses will resume using their offices after the coronavirus crisis, despite a shift towards home working, according to a survey of company directors.
The research found that 74 per cent of directors said they would keep increased home working arrangements, and half said they would reduce their long-term use of the office following the pandemic.
However, only one in five said their usage would be “significantly lower”, with less than half of bosses saying employees were more effective at home, according to a survey of 958 business leaders by the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Meanwhile 30 per cent said their use of the office would be unchanged.
The IoD said “the benefits of the office haven’t gone away”, and warned that the prospect of increased long-term home-working could raise legal questions over employers’ responsibilities for staff outside the office.
It also urged the government to introduce measures, such as tax incentives to harness digital technology and funds to improve management skills, to help the economy transition to more remote-working.
IoD director of policy Roger Barker said: “Working from doesn’t work for everyone, and directors must be alive to the downsides. Managing teams remotely can prove far from straightforward, and directors must make sure they are going out of their way to support employees’ mental wellbeing.”
He added: “The benefits of the office haven’t gone away. For many companies, bringing teams together in person proves more productive and enjoyable.
“Shared workspace often provides employees the opportunity for informal development and networking that is so crucial, particularly early on in a career.”
Separate research published last month showed that two-thirds of UK companies believe the motivation and enthusiasm of employees have suffered as a result of remote working during the Covid-19 crisis.
A survey of more than 1,500 firms occupying offices found office working outranked home working for creativity and innovation, as well as productivity and motivation.
Roughly 64 per cent of respondents said employee morale had suffered due to remote working, compared to just 23 per cent who said workers were more productive or had higher motivation at home.
However, the majority of firms stated that a hybrid model was the best option for their staff.
Just under 70 per cent of companies said they were planning to reduce workspace costs by allowing employees to work more flexibly, the survey, carried out by FTI Consulting on behalf of law firm CMS found.