Survey shows a third of younger British workers would quit job if forced back to office

New data from Employment Hero’s 2022 Remote Working Report shows knowledge workers overwhelmingly want to retain the option to work from home – and would consider quitting any job which denied them the ability to.

The survey of more than 2,000 UK-based knowledge workers found 88% wanted to work from home for at least one day a week, while 39% wanted to work remotely every day, 36% two to three days a week and just 12% wanted to go to the office every day.

Many, but not all, have been granted some level of flexibility, with 22% working fully remote and 42% working in a mix of remote and at the office. Over a third (36%t) are now entirely office-based.

This push back into the office is likely to cause friction, particularly with younger employees – some of whom have been working at home for a significant chunk of their careers.

Thirty-three percent of those aged 25-34 said they would likely quit if forced back into the office, and a further 20% said they would consider it.

Of those of any age already in a remote or flexible arrangement, 44% said they would either quit or consider it.

The forced return to the office came overwhelmingly from management, who were by far the happiest about the return to the office. Seventy-six percent of employers or senior executives were happy about a return to the office, compared to 51% of non-manager professionals.

Top reasons cited as advantages for home-based working included climate change and the cost of living crisis.

Remote working was seen as the best option for preventing climate change by 59% of respondents, and for its positive influence on personal finances by 52%. More than half of workers in marginalised groups (54%) agreed remote work protected them from discrimination at work, compared with just 14% who said it didn’t.

Charlotte Boffey, Head of UK Services at Employment Hero, said: “This survey confirms that the pre-pandemic office is not coming back, and employers should recognise that by working with their employees to develop good hybrid working. Some ability to work from home is definitely important. This doesn’t mean everyone wants to stay at home all the time – but it does mean that retaining flexibility is key for employers who want to hold on to their staff – and attract new ones.

“Employers unhappy with this new normal should consider exactly what is making them uncomfortable, and look to mitigate that issue. If they feel their employees are unmotivated at home, they are likely to be unmotivated in the office too. Getting an exact read on your culture through an anonymous survey could be a good first step to fix wider issues in the workplace – wherever that workplace is.”