- 41% of businesses have required staff to spend more time
working on site over the past year
- One in ten (9%) relevant firms say employees have quit
because of the requirement to return to onsite working
- Nearly half of surveyed businesses (48%) expect all working
days for staff to be on site during the next 12 months
- Nearly two-thirds of manufacturers (62%) and
business-to-consumer companies (61%) say that all working days
will be on-site, compared with less than a third (27%) of
business-to-business firms
- Half of manufacturers (49%) think remote or hybrid working
decreases productivity, while only 9% think it increases
it
Over two fifths (41%) of businesses have increased their
requirement for onsite working over the past year, according to
new research by the British Chambers of Commerce
(BCC).
While most of the firms (67%) who require onsite working say
it hasn't impacted recruitment or retention, one in ten relevant
businesses (9%) have seen staff leave in response. Looking ahead,
just less than half (48%) of businesses expect all working days
to be in-person over the next 12 months.
583 businesses took part in the online research, carried out
between 24 April and 14 May. 94% of the firms who took part were
SMEs (fewer than 250 employees).
The data reveals significant differences in sectoral
attitudes towards hybrid working, with manufacturers (62%) and
B2C (61%) services most likely to be expecting all working days
to be on-site in the next year. In contrast, just 27% of
business-to-business service companies say they'll be expecting
all shifts to be in person over the next year.
Views are mixed over the productivity impact of remote or hybrid
working. Half of manufacturers (49%) say it decreases
productivity, compared to 41% of all firms reporting a negative
impact. B2B service companies are most likely to see improvements
through remote working, with a quarter (25%), saying it increases
productivity. That compares with just 17% of all
firms.
This new data marks a shift in attitudes. For comparison,
previous polling by the BCC in 2023, found that just 27% of
responding firms predicting their staff will be fully in-person
over the next five years.
Jane Gratton, Director of Public Policy at the British Chambers
of Commerce said:
“We're seeing a clear shift towards more firms requiring full
on-site working, but it's by no means a uniform picture.
“The trend is being led by manufacturers and consumer-facing
businesses, while around two thirds of B2B service firms continue
to operate hybrid models.
“Hybrid working has become a fixture of modern working life since
the pandemic and is valued by employers and their workforce.
But it does not suit everyone and, for some firms, a full
onsite model may be the best solution for the business.
“With the cost of doing business continuing to escalate, firms
are looking to boost productivity. Hybrid working can help
firms attract and retain a skilled and engaged workforce.
However, some employers are identifying significant benefits of
bringing all staff together again
onsite.
“How and where people work is likely to continue to evolve in the
years ahead. A flexible working approach makes good
business sense but, to drive economic growth, managers also need
the flexibility to do what's right for their business.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The results are based on responses from 635 business
online.
- Around 94% of respondents are SMEs (fewer than 250
employees), 54% are in the service sector, 33% in the
manufacturing sector and around 41% are exporters.
- Requests for further data breakdown should be made by
contacting the BCC press office.
- Due to rounding, not all percentages will add up to
100%.
- This survey is produced by the BCC's award-winning Insights
Unit and the Chamber of Commerce Network.
