UK: Majority Would Quit if Hybrid Working Was Removed

More than half of UK workers would consider leaving their company if hybrid working is removed, according to a new survey.

The research found that 51 per cent of UK workers able to combine in-office work with remote work would consider quitting their job if the flexibility of hybrid working is taken away.

Microsoft UK surveyed 2,046 employees and 504 HR decision makers (HRDMs), with results suggesting the COVID-19 pandemic has made hybrid working a must-have for many employees.

After a prolonged period of working from home, many organisations are beginning to inform workers they will be required to return to the office on a full-time basis.

Other employers recognise the potential benefits offered by hybrid working and are providing employees with the flexibility to split their time between the office and home.

59 per cent of HRDMs surveyed said a hybrid working model has had a positive effect on the mental health of their workers.

HRDMs identified the greatest risks for organisations that do not provide hybrid work; losing staff to companies offering better hybrid work options and an inability to retain new staff.

Other risks were a negative impact on productivity, negative impact on staff wellbeing, employee burnout and an inability to keep up with industry competitors.

Workers who had taken on new roles during the pandemic reported significant challenges with conducting the on-boarding process remotely.

42 per cent of these workers said remote work had made it difficult to establish working relationships and 33 per cent said they had struggled without a manager nearby to ask for information or guidance.

Other issues included struggling to learn new software and applications (24 per cent), earning the confidence of colleagues (23 per cent), and not feeling immersed in the company culture (21 per cent).

While 36 per cent of HRDMs said remote on-boarding had made it difficult to provide effective and role-specific training, 37 per cent said challenging situations had been resolved with the right technology solutions.

According to Director of Modern Work Business Group at Microsoft UK Nick Hedderman, the pandemic has proven that organisations can trust their staff to work productively wherever they are.

“They now have an opportunity to reshape work around individual roles, preferences and even personal lives. This is achievable through tech-enabled hybrid working models, which supports the creation of a rich digital culture