The rise of hybrid working has changed office life — but not had that much of an impact on the rest of our lives.
That’s according to academic research from the ESRC Centre for Population Change project. A recent study found disadvantaged regions hadn’t benefited from the rise in working from home, which many hoped would help spread talent and higher salaries more evenly throughout the UK by decoupling employment from location.
“Working from home is now a normal part of working life, with the potential to change where and how people work,” said Professor Jackie Wahba of the University of Southampton, who led the research.
“It could offer major benefits, giving both employers and workers more choice and flexibility. But to achieve this, we must tackle key obstacles to residential mobility.”
The research comes as companies continue to assess whether to allow continued hybrid working or pushing for a full return to office (RTO). Though hybrid systems remain more popular, some companies have forced workers back — notably Amazon and Dell — often with pushback from employees.
Who works from home?
More than half of the UK’s employees never work from home, but among “high skilled” professionals, that’s just 29% — which the report noted highlighted inequality in the workforce and assumptions about how most people work. The research showed that 23% of all workers and 35% of highly-skilled workers are working from home now.
“It was widely believed that working from home would let high-skilled workers move further from their employers, opening up opportunities for less wealthy areas,” Wahba added. “But so far, it remains most common among higher earners in a few sectors, mostly near London and other major cities.”
Those who do work from home largely do so in a hybrid setup. According to the study, 53% of people never work from home, 11% always do, while 22% work one to four days at home.
Because office visits are still frequently required by those with some at-home days, employees aren’t moving further afield but staying closer to where they are employed, the study noted.
Another shift has been from private to public, with researchers revealing that fully remote working options are now “less concentrated in the private sector”.
“Pre-pandemic, three quarters (74%) of those who WFH were in the private sector, now it is three fifths (61%),” the report noted.
Prior to the pandemic, working from home was concentrated in London and the South East, and that largely remains the case now.
Scotland, however, does differ. The research pinned this on the country mandating working from home longer during the pandemic and the government having a “much more welcoming stance towards WFH” than English counterparts since lockdown ended.
But that is the exception, the researchers noted, with little evidence of significant redistribution of working from home during or after the pandemic.
Where you work, you live
The rise of hybrid working means these shifting work patterns aren’t enabling “lagging regions” to attract high earners, and may never do so.
“Working from home isn’t yet bridging the gap between regions,” Wahba said. “Policymakers, businesses, and local leaders need to act to ensure that job flexibility does not exacerbate inequality but is harnessed to support real, long-term regional growth.”
She added that working from home alone won’t be enough to encourage such changes.
“There is also little evidence on the net economic impact for local areas of these changes in working patterns.
“We need better data on who is working from home, how often, and in what roles. This will help policymakers give targeted support to more regions. Investing in transport links, fast broadband, schools, healthcare, green spaces, cultural venues, and affordable housing are as important as providing flexible work options in drawing and retaining skilled workers.”
Another change spotted by the survey is happiness with pay. The report said there was no difference between working from home or not when it comes to health or job satisfaction, but added that “those who WFH are now significantly more likely to be satisfied with their income than those who do not WFH.”
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