As of July 2024, the trend towards remote work remains strong among white-collar workers in the UK. Despite ongoing efforts by companies to bring employees back to the office, more than half of these workers continue to spend most of their workweek at home.
Recent data from CBRE highlights that only 43% of office workers are commuting to their offices at least three days a week, up from 37% last year. While this represents a modest increase, it means that most white-collar employees still prefer remote work for the bulk of their time. The most common pattern is for workers to be in the office two days a week, although many companies are pushing for three.
Interestingly, larger companies, particularly those with over 5,000 employees, have been more successful in encouraging staff to return to the office, with two-thirds reporting that their offices are at least 41% full. This compares to just 48% of companies achieving the same level of occupancy last summer.
Despite these efforts, there’s a growing trend among businesses to downsize their office space in the coming years. Around 57% of companies plan to move to smaller offices, reflecting a broader post-pandemic "flight to quality" where businesses seek better, albeit smaller, office spaces. These high-quality offices are increasingly seen as tools to enhance brand image, attract talent, and foster productivity and collaboration.
Overall, while the return to the office is happening, it’s clear that remote work remains a significant and preferred component of the workweek for many UK white-collar workers.
