Research from Ezra, has revealed that more than half of UK office workers have now returned to the office / workplace on either a full or part-time basis, with many seeing some surprising benefits as a result.

 

Have you returned to working in the office?
Answer 6th April, 2021 22nd June, 2021 Change
Yes full-time 17% 30% 13%
Yes part-time 17% 24% 7%
No 66% 45% -21%
       

 

Which of the following do you feel have been positively impacted by a return to the office compared to working from home? (Tick all that apply)
Answer Respondents
Work-life balance 29%
Productivity 23%
Personal fatigue 13%
Career progression 13%
Covid anxiety 12%
Career-related stress 10%
   
Would you take a reduced salary in return for a flexible working arrangement?
Answer Respondents
No 74%
Yes 26%
   
Do you intend to look for a new job if a flexible working arrangement isn’t implemented within your workplace?
Answer Respondents
No 74%
Yes 26%

 

The research commissioned by Ezra found that 30% of office workers have now returned full-time, up from just 17% in April. A further 24% have returned on a part-time basis, again up from 17% in April, with the number of us working fully remotely falling by -21% in the last three months.

Ezra also asked what positive impact a return to the workplace has had on their lives and, perhaps surprisingly, the most prominent was the work-life balance (29%).

A positive impact of productivity also ranked high (23%), with many also benefitting from a reduction in personal fatigue (13%) and an increase in career progression opportunities (13%).

Perhaps predictably, Covid anxiety and career-related stress saw the least positive influence.

With many big-name companies now encouraging a return to the workplace, Deloitte recently announced that those wishing to maintain an aspect of remote working may not be able to expect a full salary while doing so.

This sort of stance may encourage more to return to the workplace, although Ezra’s research shows that 26% of office workers would be willing to take a reduced level of income in order to maintain a flexible working lifestyle.

So much so that the same number also stated they would seek alternative employment should their employer fail to offer an ongoing level of flexible working.

It seems as though the shine is starting to fade on the working from home culture with more and more of us choosing to return to the office, perhaps with a little encouragement from our employers in some cases.

However, doing so seems to have improved productivity, fatigue and the work-life balance for many. This may sound strange but it makes sense given that working from home has caused many to blur the lines between their personal and professional lives, working longer hours in the process while actually achieving less.

Survey of 2,058 UK office workers carried out by Ezra via consumer research platform Find Out Now (6th April 2021 and 25th June 2021).

Whether you’ve returned to the office, continued working remotely from home (or a bit of both), it’s crucial that you have the right measures in place to ensure your workforce can continue working efficiently by managing their calls easily and effectively, thereby maximising individual productivity.

HOW DOES A BUSINESS VOIP PHONE SYSTEM HELP FLEXIBLE WORKING?

Telecoms is an art, constantly evolving. Unlike a traditional fixed phone line, todays VoIP (Voice over IP) phone systems allow you to make and receive calls “from the office” whenever you have an internet connection. VoIP gives you flexibility, it can be used in and out of the office versus your traditional phone line that is fixed to one location meaning it can’t be used outside of the office.

For more information on our VoIP phone systems get in touch with the Trio Telecom team today. We have been practising the art of telecoms for over 20 years, and would love to support your business so that staff are able to work flexibly from remote locations if necessary. Give us a call today on 01727 221303.