Britain named work from home capital of Europe
Britain has been named Europe's work from home capital, with employees spending more days away from the office than in any other nation on the Continent.
Workers in the UK spend an average of 1.8 days working from home each week, according to a new report from King's College London, which was more time than all nations bar Canada – at 1.9 days – among the 40 nations studied.
Britain's work from home average was the highest in Europe and well above the global average of 1.3 days working from home each week.
Workers in South Korea average half a day at home per week, with those in Greece and China typically putting in 0.6 days remotely, the King's study found. This rises to one day in France, 1.2 in Australia and 1.6 in Germany and the US.
The persistence of home working since the Covid lockdowns is 'becoming a defining feature of the UK labour market,' said Cevat Aksoy, the lead researcher on the report.
'This isn't just a post-pandemic hangover – British workers have clearly decided they're not going back to the old ways.'
The findings may raises fresh fears for productivity in the economy, amid growing concern among bosses about the detrimental impact of working remotely.
Lord Rose, the former boss of Asda, has said productivity is 'less good if you work from home' and 'your personal development suffers'.
He said earlier this year: 'We are creating a whole generation and probably a generation beyond that of people who are used to actually not doing what I call proper work.'
Jamie Dimon, the boss of America's biggest bank JP Morgan, also railed against remote work in a leaked recording in February. He told staff: 'Don't give me this s--- that work-from-home Friday works. I call a lot of people on Fridays, and there's not a goddamn person you can get a hold of. I've had it with this kind of stuff.'
Other corporate leaders, including Bob Iger, chief executive of Disney, have also expressed concerns about the impact of remote work on creativity.
Adrian Pabst at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said working from home can undermine coordination between colleagues, and is particularly tough for younger workers who struggle to learn the ropes when away from the office.
He said: 'There are certain benefits [from WFH], including in productivity terms for certain tasks, but one can see, especially in the public sector, that the absence from the office creates problems in the levels of coordination and the levels of teamwork. It is not clear the benefits outweigh the costs.
'There is collective memory, the institutional culture and ethos of a place, which has to be transmitted in a collaborative manner between colleagues.'
Productivity problems
The UK has long had a productivity problem relative to nations such as the US. Productivity is so far behind that American workers typically produce as much output in four days as their counterparts in the UK can manage in five.
The problem ia getting worse. Output per hour worked in the first quarter of the year was 0.2pc lower than in the opening three months of 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
However, Mr Aksoy said: 'Research to date shows that hybrid work arrangements have no negative effects on productivity – and can offer substantial upsides in terms of employee retention and satisfaction.
'Given that hybrid models – where most people work from home on Mondays and Fridays, and from the office mid-week – have become the dominant form in the UK, we see no compelling evidence that this arrangement hampers organisational productivity.'
Home working also saves employees time and money, as they spend less on petrol or bus and train tickets, which can be spent elsewhere instead, often to the benefit of the local economy where they live, rather than town and city centres.
Mr Pabst said there may be personal, rather than professional, tolls from working remotely. He said: 'We have also got the other side of the work-life balance, which is mental health .... Is working in isolation, especially for younger people who may not yet be in long-term relationships, may not yet have families or children – is isolating at home good for their mental health, let alone their work performance?'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
16 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
We will do everything we can to save Alexander Dennis jobs, vows Swinney
The company announced on Wednesday it is proposing to consolidate its UK operations at a single site in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The decision puts 400 jobs at risk at its facility in Falkirk in another blow to the Forth Valley, which has already seen more than 400 jobs go at the Grangemouth refinery this year. Speaking at First Minister's Questions on Thursday, John Swinney said he is 'deeply concerned'. John Swinney said the Scottish Government will support jobs at Alexander Dennis (Andrew Milligan/PA) He told the chamber: 'This issue has been occupying a great deal of the focus and the attention of the Deputy First Minister and I and the UK Government ministers since we became aware of the situation over the last few weeks, and then ultimately to the decision that was announced yesterday.' He said his Government has 'supported' the manufacturer. But Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused Holyrood ministers of overlooking Scottish industry in favour of ordering buses from China, while pointing to the order from Alexander Dennis of around 160 vehicles by the publicly-owned network in Greater Manchester. In Scotland, public service buses are procured by private operators, who then run them on routes across the country. Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the Government has not supported Scottish industry (PA) Mr Swinney said state aid regulations – in the form of the UK-wide Subsidy Control Act – prevent the Government from directly procuring from a single supplier like Alexander Dennis. He quoted a joint letter from the UK and Scottish governments, which pledged to 'work closely with Alexander Dennis at this challenging time'. He added: 'That's us indicating that we're keen to do everything we can to find a way through the Subsidy Control Act provisions, so the Government can continue to operate within the law, which we must do, but also, we can support manufacturing in Scotland, which is my priority.' Responding, Mr Sarwar said: 'If John Swinney can't figure out a way to order buses in Scotland, I suggest he picks up the phone to (Greater Manchester Mayor) Andy Burnham and see how he managed to do it. Greater Manchester's Bee Network buses were made at Alexander Dennis (PA) 'Almost five times as many bus orders from Manchester.' Mr Sarwar's claim stems from the second phase of the Scottish Government's green bus initiative ScotZEB, which ordered 44 buses from Alexander Dennis. However, according to a press release from the time, 137 buses were ordered from the firm in the first phase, amounting to a total of 181. In a statement, Mr Burnham – who has visited the Falkirk site – said: 'Our iconic Bee Network buses are a bit of Scotland right here in Greater Manchester. 'We have over 160 Alexander Dennis buses criss-crossing our city-region every day – connecting our communities to opportunity. 'If Greater Manchester can invest in world-class Scottish bus manufacturing, then why can't the SNP Scottish Government?'
The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
Tax hikes ‘almost certainly' to come if economy worsens, IFS says
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warned that further negative economic news will 'almost certainly' lead to more tax increases, putting pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Council tax is projected to rise at its fastest rate in 20 years, with potential annual increases of up to 5 per cent as local governments struggle to close funding gaps. The IFS suggested more people may be forced to pay higher income tax rates due to 'fiscal drag,' potentially generating an additional £10bn a year by 2029. Government sources did not deny the possibility of extending the freeze on tax thresholds, stating that future tax decisions will be made at the Budget. IFS director Paul Johnson criticised the Treasury for 'making up the numbers' and described Chancellor Reeves' recent speech as 'baffling,' while also expressing concerns about the cost of Labour's childcare promises.
Telegraph
20 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Donald Trump ally bids for £170m Crystal Palace stake
John Textor is considering three sale offers to rescue Crystal Palace 's Europa League place – including one from Donald Trump ally Woody Johnson. Telegraph Sport understands the New York Jets owner tabled a 43 per cent purchase proposal, marginally less in overall value than two others being discussed. Raine Group, the New York broker which secured sales for Chelsea and Manchester United, had been in discussion with parties on behalf of Textor since last year. However, the American is conscious of the club's need to now secure a quick transaction to guarantee European competition next season. A quick sale for as little as £170 million has been mooted for Eagle Football Holdings' 43 per cent stake as Textor's ownership of Lyon leaves Palace facing the threat of expulsion from Europe's second tier. Industry insiders believe a purchase of Textor's shares by the current co-owners, Josh Harris and David Blitzer, is the most likely outcome this summer. However, options include at least two other proposals from the US, one of which has been established for months. A deal with Johnson, 78, is viewed as an outside shot. He is a controversial figure in US sport, with the New York Jets facing scrutiny last year following reports of 'controversial and dysfunctional practices' under his watch. Johnson bought the New York Jets in 2000, with the NFL franchise now estimated to be worth around $6.9 billion. The Jets' $1.6 billion MetLife Stadium will hold next year's World Cup final. Johnson is also well-known in UK politics. The long-time Republican Party donor was appointed as US ambassador to the UK during Trump's first term. His brother, Christopher, took over Jets operations during his post. The American businessman has long been interested in buying a Premier League club, having approached Raine about Chelsea in 2022. Other suitors for Palace, meanwhile, are believed to include NBA star Jimmy Butler, part of a consortium of sport and entertainment executives that is expected to make an offer. That separate proposal was first reported by The Athletic on Wednesday night. Another international consortium advised by the veteran football financier Keith Harris also previously expressed interest. Mr Harris's group would probably execute its deal through the recently incorporated Sportbank vehicle. The Sportsbank consortium – worth upwards of £200 million – is said to be made up of a collection of investors from North America, Canada, Europe and the Gulf. Textor, who previously expressed interest in buying Everton, is willing to find another club as soon as possible. Textor acquired his holding in Palace in 2021 for about £90 million. His multi-club network Eagle Football also includes French club Olympique Lyonnais, Rio-based Botafogo and RWD Molenbeek in Belgium. His priority is to pursue a club which can accept players across the group. Crystal Palace's overall value is said to be around £500 million – around the same price that Everton was valued at, minus debt, during Farhad Moshiri's protracted sale. Stanley Tang, of the US-based food delivery company DoorDash, denied suggestions that he was also in discussions to buy Textor's stake. Chairman Steve Parish, Textor and his fellow US businessmen Harris and Blitzer oversee the running of the Selhurst Park club as general partners. However, Textor has repeatedly hinted at frustrations that he does not exert as much club control as he would like. Uefa is set to inform Palace whether they are in breach of its multi-club ownership rules by June 30 – although the matter may then be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) which would delay a final verdict. The FA Cup winners met Uefa officials last week in a two-hour meeting in an attempt to avoid being barred. Palace insist there is no sharing of information or staff or facilities with the French side. The club argue that despite Textor's shareholding, he has no say in the day-to-day running and has just 25 per cent of voting rights. Indeed, Textor has previously spoken about his annoyance at the lack of say he has at Palace and has been trying to sell his shares. Textor reiterated this after last week's meeting in Nyon. However, Nottingham Forest have written a letter to Uefa expressing their position and asking for clarification over whether Palace will be involved.
