Workers fear being forced back into office, survey finds

Independent

15-07-2025

Workers say they are being negatively impacted by pressure to spend more time in the office, a survey has found, as a growing number of companies toughen their stance on remote working.
The poll, conducted by recruitment firm Hays, found that 38 per cent of respondents reported a negative impact on their wellbeing following recent news coverage of firms increasing office attendance requirements.
This effect was skewed towards female respondents, with 42 per cent of women reporting negative effects on their wellbeing from news coverage about return-to-office mandates, compared to 32 per cent of men.
Younger workers between the ages of 20 and 29 also expressed more concern than their older counterparts aged 50 and above.
Around 84 per cent of hybrid workers said being permitted to work from home or remotely had a positive effect on their wellbeing. This effect also skewed towards female respondents, with 87 per cent of women reporting improved wellbeing from a hybrid model versus 80 per cent of men.
All respondents in favour of the hybrid model cited improvements to their mental, physical, social and financial health.
The findings are based on responses from 3,600 UK-based employers and employees across both the public and private sectors, collected between late April and early May.
Financial pressure, particularly commuting expenses, emerged as a key concern, with 59 per cent saying it was a factor that would affect their willingness to return to the office more frequently.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, hybrid working was the norm for 28 per cent of working adults in Great Britain during the first quarter of 2025.
But a number of major firms, especially in the finance sector, have announced stricter return-to-office policies.
HSBC warned UK retail banking staff in May that a failure to spend at least 60 per cent of their time in the office could result in reduced bonuses. Barclays and Santander have also introduced more restrictive remote working guidelines.
Man Group, the world's largest publicly listed hedge fund, required London-based analysts to return to the office full-time on a temporary basis from June, as the company looks to recover from a period of underperformance.
Hannah Pearsall, the head of wellbeing at Hays, said: 'The popularity of hybrid working shows no signs of wavering any time soon, and the role this flexible working pattern plays in improving wellbeing should not be overlooked.
'A lack of awareness around the impact of a return to the office on wellbeing, particularly financial wellbeing, could be catastrophic for the sustained success of their business.'