UK leads Europe in embracing remote work: report

WFH: ‘They’re not going back to the old ways’

The study underscores a broader shift in employee attitudes: more than half of British white-collar workers surveyed indicated they would rather quit than return to a traditional five-day office schedule.

“This isn’t just a post-pandemic hangover — British workers have clearly decided they’re not going back to the old ways,” said Cevat Giray Aksoy, associate professor of economics at KCL. “Remote work has moved from being an emergency response to becoming a defining feature of the UK labour market.”

These sentiments come at a time when global companies, particularly in financial services, are beginning to reverse flexible working policies. As The Times reports, firms such as BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan are asking employees to return to offices full-time. Other industries are following suit, with employers like Dell, Amazon, WPP, and Boots also rolling back hybrid options.

However, employee pushback is notable. Another KCL survey found that 58% of UK-based white-collar staff would either resign immediately or begin job hunting if mandated to return to the office full-time.

“Rather than forcing a return to pre-pandemic working patterns, organisations should be looking to formalise hybrid models,” said Heejung Chung, professor of work and employment at KCL. “Importantly, those who are able to work remotely tend to be more loyal and committed to their jobs.”