Survey reveals UK split on if employers have right to enforce full-time office working

As reported by HR News, the latest research has revealed that the UK is divided on whether employers have the right to enforce a full-time return to the office

In a study conducted by Censuswide on behalf of flexible office specialists Space32, a survey of 2,000 UK adults discovered that slightly more than half of the British population (53%) agreed with the notion that employers possess the right to request their employees to return to the office five days per week.

A mere 11% of the participants expressed disagreement or strong disagreement regarding the authority of employers to enforce a complete return to the office. Another 36% of respondents remained undecided about whether company leaders held the prerogative to mandate a daily return to the office.

These findings coincide with actions taken by various organisations such as Goldman Sachs, Google, Meta, Disney, and Twitter, which have curtailed flexible work options in an effort to enhance company culture and productivity.

Among the generational groups, it was observed that Generation X displayed the highest inclination to believe that employers had the right to impose full-time office work. Specifically, 61% of individuals aged 35-44 agreed that bosses possessed the authority to implement this requirement.

However, this perspective was not uniformly held across all age groups. Respondents aged 18-24 were less likely to concur, with only 50% indicating that they believed employers were justified in mandating full-time office work. This sentiment was partly due to the fact that many in this age group have primarily experienced hybrid and remote work setups.

A similar stance was observed among Baby Boomers, where 50% of individuals aged 55 and above believed it was reasonable for employers to enforce full-time office hours. This is consistent with other recent findings indicating that older workers tend to prefer remote work.

Despite the majority of respondents accepting the right of employers to enforce full-time office work, the survey results demonstrated that people would be hesitant to return to an office environment on a Monday-to-Friday basis. Notably, “working from home” emerged as the most valued perk among office workers, with 51% of respondents indicating they would be willing to forgo other benefits to maintain this flexibility.

When ranking the benefits they were most willing to sacrifice, respondents indicated a willingness to give up company benefits like health insurance and gym memberships (17%), followed by a portion of their salary (12%), and then their annual bonus or the chance for a promotion (both 11%).

Further analysis revealed that Generation Z placed the highest value on working from home, with a significant 75% of those aged 18-24 expressing a preference for this option over other perks.

Jon Dweck, CEO and co-founder of Space32, commented on the findings, noting a significant shift in attitudes towards work in recent years. He emphasized that while employers might have the legal right to enforce full-time office work, such a mandate might not foster engagement and commitment within the workforce. Dweck emphasized the need for a nuanced approach, considering the diverse views of employees when creating a hybrid working environment.