More professionals in the UK are now working full time in an office setting than those who are working in a hybrid way, according to survey research from Hays UK and Ireland.

Less than two in five workers (39%) are adopting a hybrid approach, versus close to half (43%) of workers who say they are now working fully in an office setting.

The research, based on a survey of nearly 15,000 professionals and employers in the UK found that 61% of employers are offering hybrid working, compared to 47% in 2021, yet nearly a quarter (24%) of employers anticipate their hybrid working offering will change over the next 12 months and that they will require increased staff attendance.

Last year, more professionals were splitting their working time between home and the workplace (43%) versus those who were working fully in an office setting (36%), suggesting the tide is turning on hybrid working. Less than one in five (18%) workers say they are working fully remotely now, versus 21% of workers last year.

When it comes to policies for different levels of staff, 32% of employers say their organisation has different ways of working policies for staff of varying levels or seniority. However, half (50%) of employees think employers should have different policies when it comes to ways of working for junior and senior members of staff. 

Meanwhile, half of organisations say they now operate a ‘hot desking’ policy at their workplace. Hot desking refers to reserving a flexible workspace in an office that is not assigned to a specific employee. The figures increases to nearly two-thirds (63%) of organisations based in London.

Nearly half (49%) say this is a new approach after reducing the number of desks in their workplace compared to 51% who say they have always operated this way.

The research also showed 66% of employers say they have refitted their workplace, office or meeting rooms to facilitate a smooth hybrid working approach. This includes installing large screens, cameras and microphones for an inclusive meeting experience when people are working in different locations. 

Hays’ research also uncovered that over half (57%) of workers said they would accept a job in the future if it didn’t offer hybrid working. On the flip side, 43% of professionals admitted they wouldn’t accept a role that didn’t adopt a hybrid approach to working.

Location played a role in workers’ preference to hybrid working. Those living in the Northwest of England would be the most likely to accept a job in the future if it didn’t offer hybrid working (66%) versus 44% of those who work in London. Overall, nearly a third (31%) of workers say the wider introduction of hybrid and remote work has influenced where they live.

Gaelle Blake, Head of permanent appointments at Hays UK and Ireland, said, “It’s clear from our research that there’s still no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to how staff want to work and how flexible employers are willing to be. Yet, despite more workers saying they are now working full time in an office, it’s evident that hybrid working can’t be erased overnight.”

“Not only have some employers reconfigured their offices to make sure hybrid working offers a streamlined experience, but many have reduced the number of desk spaces, meaning there’s not necessarily enough physical room for all staff in one workplace,” Blake added.

“What employers need to understand is that everyone is different, some workers may thrive in an office environment, and some won’t. If employers are asking staff back to the office more, they need to question if they are doing it for the right reasons such as facilitating more team building opportunities and offering an enticing work environment. Employers who are asking staff to come into the office more due to a lack of trust will struggle to retain staff going forward,” Blake added.