COVID-19: BBC survey shows support for hybrid working

10 May 2021

A BBC survey of the 50 largest businesses in the UK shows broad support for modern “hybrid” working practices, with 43 respondents now encouraging staff to work from home at least some of the time.

This suggests that the impact of Coronavirus on work and workplaces will last long after the biological threat eases.

Reduced commuting may create some benefits such as reduced stress and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, but there may also be downside economic effects.

There may be detrimental impacts on travel, office accommodation and businesses that serve commuters such as city-centre sandwich shops.

Recent ONS data shows that 37% of the UK’s working population worked from home in the latest week, at least some of the time, with 22% not able to and the remainder going to their normal workplace.

Directions from employers remain the most common reason for working from home, cited by 55% – indicating that employer culture and expectations will shape future practices.

Only a minority of the respondents, 19%, stated that working from home was a preferred option.

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