Remote and hybrid working are here to stay

A large majority of business leaders plan to offer their staff remote working in the long-term, according to the latest data from the Institute of Directors.

In response to an IoD survey in September 2023, more than 8 in 10 (84%) business leaders stated that they plan to offer some degree of remote working for office-based employees in future.

Alexandra Hall-Chen, Principal Policy Advisor for Employment, said: “Our research shows that, for a clear majority of businesses, remote and hybrid working are here to stay.

“Against a backdrop of acute skills and labour shortages in the UK, flexible working is a valuable tool for businesses seeking to attract and retain talented staff. Good flexible working policies can also support groups more likely to fall out of the workforce, such as parents and disabled people, to thrive in the workplace.

“Anecdotally, we have found that some businesses are moving away from a model marked by full flexibility to a hybrid approach, due to a desire to bring staff together to facilitate innovation and team cohesion, but very few are removing their remote working offer entirely.”