Only 2% of employees happy to work in the office full time.

06 Apr 2021

As lockdown eases there has been a lot of debate around flexible working and a return to the office. 
 

With the government seemingly pushing for a return to the status quo but many employers installing a completely flexible approach it is going to be fascinating how the return to the office plays out and what our working lives will look like as we get back to “normal.”  

 

After a year where every office-based business was forced to adapt to, and indeed embrace remote working, we are slightly surprised by the furvert there is in some quarters for a return to the office, exactly like before.  

 

There is no doubt that everybody is craving human interaction, seeing their colleagues and the chance to collaborate and create in a way that is more conducive to being in the same room. However, if the last year has shown us nothing else, it is that remote working for most businesses can work just as effectively as being office-based. Indeed, lots of reports are emerging that employees and businesses perform better with a flexible approach to being office based. 

 

A Warning for Employers 

 

Crucially for employers, having the flexibility to work from home is something that the majority of employees want. We have found over the last few weeks that candidates have not taken a role with a business because they had a strict return to the office policy, with very little flexibility.  

 

We ran a poll on LinkedIn, answered by 776 people and only 2% said they would be happy being full time in the office. A huge 71% wanted complete flexibility to choose when and for how long to work from home.  

 

 

 

 

As a business, you need to be aware of trends like this amongst the workforce and specifically where great talent is hard to come by. Despite it being a candidate heavy market at the moment, the best people in marketing, creative and technology still know their worth and the ability they have to choose. If you do not take a flexible approach to work in the office and move with the times, the best talent will not choose you.  

 

If you want to talk to us about hiring the best talent for your business, brief us now.  Stopgap - Our Passion, Is Your People.