Only one in four companies expect their employees to be working in the office full time over the next five years, according to new research.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and technology firm Cisco surveyed over 1,000 businesses, of which 96% were SMEs, and found that just 27% of respondents predict their staff will work fully in-person. Another 47% anticipate their employees to be mostly in-person, 16% expect mostly remote and 8% fully remote.
There was a clear divide between different sectors, with business-to-business (B2B) services firms (such as finance and legal) more likely to expect remote working. Only 17% of B2B providers expect fully in-person working, compared with 38% of manufacturers and 37% of companies providing business-to-consumer services.
Hybrid working is now “part of the fabric of the modern workplace”, said Jane Gratton, deputy director of public policy at the BCC.
“For millions of people, logging in remotely for at least part of the working week is now routine.”
Gratton also noted that, in a labour market where employers are competing for skilled workers, hybrid and flexible working have become an important part of staff benefit packages.
Aine Rogers, managing director of small and medium enterprise at Cisco UK & Ireland, said that employees tend to “thrive” in a hybrid working environment as it enhances their wellbeing, work-life balance and performance.
A simple, secure collaboration platform can help staff be just as productive remotely as they would in the office, Rogers added. “With the right technology in place, SMEs can also ensure their employees have inclusive, secure and resilient access to their network data and applications, as well as a seamless experience when calling, meeting and messaging.”
