Remote work linked to rising isolation and poorer mental health, study finds

Remote work linked to rising isolation and poorer mental health, study finds

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

The rapid growth of remote work since the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to increased social isolation and worsening mental health among workers, according to a major new studyThe rapid growth of remote work since the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to increased social isolation and worsening mental health among workers, according to a major new study published in the journal Science. Researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the University of Virginia and Harvard University analysed data from five nationally representative surveys covering nearly 590,000 American workers between 2011 and 2024. Their findings suggest that the shift towards home working may account for around one third of the rise in mental distress recorded in the United States since the pandemic. (more…)

Distractions at home undermine the benefits of remote work, study suggests

Distractions at home undermine the benefits of remote work, study suggests

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

New research from Durham University Business School suggests that remote work may undermine people’s wellbeing and productivity when domestic distractions interrupt the working day. The study, led by Professor Jakob Stollberger, found that interruptions from home life can disrupt concentration, reduce task completion and have a negative impact on employees’ wellbeing. Based on diary data from 87 remote workers across sectors including IT, finance and education, the research tracked participants’ experiences over a ten day period. Respondents reported their workload and wellbeing four times a day, allowing researchers to examine how work patterns and interruptions changed over time. (more…)

Women working from home or on reduced hours at greater risk of damaging their career

Women working from home or on reduced hours at greater risk of damaging their career

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Women working from home or on reduced hours are at greater risk of losing their professional and managerial careers, but men are not affectedWomen working from home or on reduced hours are at greater risk of losing their professional and managerial careers, but men are not affected, new research suggests. Women professionals not working a standard week in the office were more likely to end up in less prestigious careers than those in full-time work, the study found. Sizhan Cui, of the University of Oxford, analysed survey data on 11,981 British women and 9,829 men gathered from 2010-2024 to link changes in careers to the use of flexible working arrangements such as working from home, part-time work, job sharing and flexitime. (more…)

Workplace as a third space: why good coffee and good WiFi still matter

Workplace as a third space: why good coffee and good WiFi still matter

by • Company news, Flexible working, Workplace

What do people want from their workplace? Good coffee and reliable WiFi are far more important than yoo might thinkThe office is no longer just a default location. Hybrid work has made it one option among many. At home, people have their own desk, their own music, their own kitchen. If the workplace is going to tempt them out, it needs something more than a chair and a meeting room. Fast WiFi and genuinely good coffee can change more about people’s experiences than you might expect. People might not talk about them much, but they notice when they are missing. Both influence how the day flows. When the internet is quick and the coffee is worth getting up for, the office starts to feel different. It becomes somewhere you do not just have to be, but somewhere you don’t mind spending time. (more…)

Data on lifts usage suggests rising office attendance in London (but not elsewhere)

Data on lifts usage suggests rising office attendance in London (but not elsewhere)

by • Flexible working, News

Lift usage in large commercial buildings is often seen as a proxy for workplace occupancy and broader office attendance patternsOffice workers in London are returning to workplaces in increasing numbers, according to data suggesting that remote working may be receding more quickly in the capital than in many other European cities. Analysis by lift manufacturer KONE examined more than a billion elevator journeys across ten cities in seven countries and found a notable rise in lift usage in London office buildings during 2025. Activity increased by around 11 percent in January compared with the same month a year earlier, with the upward trend continuing through the year. Lift usage in large commercial buildings is often seen as a proxy for workplace occupancy and broader office attendance patterns. (more…)

Rebuilding belonging: how offices can overcome loneliness  

Rebuilding belonging: how offices can overcome loneliness  

by • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

In the coming weeks it will be six years since the UK entered lockdown and working life changed overnight. While much has stabilised, the impact of the pandemic still shapes how people experience work, particularly when it comes to connection and belonging. Loneliness is widely recognised as a growing societal issue and government data shows that around a quarter of adults in Great Britain report feeling lonely at least some of the time, rising significantly among younger age groups. Hybrid working has not created this challenge but it has highlighted that for many people the workplace was a consistent source of social interaction. (more…)

Six weeks paternity allowance for self-employed and other dads could boost economy by £3 billion

Six weeks paternity allowance for self-employed and other dads could boost economy by £3 billion

by • Flexible working, News

Introducing a new six-week paternity allowance to support self employed and ‘worker’ fathers would generate a series of benefitsIntroducing a new six-week paternity allowance to support self employed and ‘worker’ fathers would generate a series of benefits worth nearly £3 billion per year to the UK, research has found. The proposal, published in a new Institute for Policy Research (IPR) policy brief, argues that providing paid leave for self-employed and worker fathers – including contractors or those in gig-economy roles – at the Statutory Paternity Pay rate (£187.18 per week) would deliver significant economic and wellbeing benefits for families and for UK society as a whole. (more…)

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

by • Flexible working, News

A significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employmentA significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employment, according to research from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University. The study, part of a large mixed-methods research project examining remote and hybrid working among disabled workers, surveyed more than 1,200 people. Around 85 percent of respondents said access to remote or hybrid work was essential or very important when looking for a new job, and nearly half said they would prefer to work fully remotely. (more…)

Hybrid working is stabilising around the world, office occupancy report claims

Hybrid working is stabilising around the world, office occupancy report claims

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

A new study of office utilisation trends around the world suggests hybrid working patterns have largely settledA new study of office utilisation trends around the world suggests hybrid working patterns have largely settled, with average occupancy remaining well below pre-pandemic norms and peak attendance continuing to cluster midweek. The Hybrid Occupancy Index 2025–2026 [registration] published by workplace analytics firm HubStar, draws on data from more than 300 million square feet of office space across 173 buildings in 13 countries, covering more than 27,000 workspaces between January 2023 and December 2025. (more…)

Employers urged to expand flexible working ahead of 2027 legal changes

Employers urged to expand flexible working ahead of 2027 legal changes

by • Flexible working, News

Employers are being urged to widen access to flexible working during 2026, ahead of planned changes to employment law that will make flexibility the default unless it can be shown to be unreasonableEmployers are being urged to widen access to flexible working during 2026, ahead of planned changes to employment law that will make flexibility the default unless it can be shown to be unreasonable. A new report from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University suggests that workers with long term health conditions and those in low paid roles are significantly less likely to have access to flexible working arrangements, despite evidence that such measures can support job retention and participation. (more…)

Global survey points to ongoing yearning for flexible work

Global survey points to ongoing yearning for flexible work

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace

flexible work continuing to show a strong association with how positively people experience their jobEmployee engagement levels remained broadly stable in 2025, according to a new global report from workplace analytics firm WorkL, with flexible work continuing to show a strong association with how positively people experience their job. The Global Workplace Report 2025 is based on survey data from more than 500,000 employees across over 100 countries. It records an average global engagement score of 75 percent, suggesting little overall movement compared with recent years, despite ongoing economic and labour market pressures.

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Flexible working continues to be the enduring theme of workplace conversations

Flexible working continues to be the enduring theme of workplace conversations

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Economic uncertainty and rapid technological change are reshaping expectations for both employers and employees, with flexible working continuing to be underlying themeEconomic uncertainty and rapid technological change are reshaping expectations for both employers and employees, with flexible working continuing to be underlying theme of most workplace conversations. According to the 2025 Global Workplace Report from WorkL based on feedback from more than half a million employees across over one hundred countries, there are also widening divides between generations, differing attitudes towards career ambition and a continued rise in anxiety linked to automation. (more…)

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