Forty percent of companies calling staff back to the office five days a week

Two in five companies are returning to a five-days-in-the-office work week, according to new data from Virgin Media O2. The Telecoms giant’s Movers Index suggest that around 40 percent of firms now require five-day-a-week office work. Meanwhile, 92 percent of companies had some kind of mandatory in-office policy. Wednesday remains the top day for office work, with about three quarters of office workers coming in for the midweek.

However, anonymised movement data from O2 Motion showed that the majority of workers had faced public transport delays of  more than an hour, in a year marked by high levels of industrial action from train drivers and railway station workers. But while most major UK cities saw a growth in commuters during 2023, London was a rare exception, with commuter numbers falling.

Last week, Boots ordered staff to return to the office full-time, five days a week, starting from the first of September this year. Employees at the company’s headquarters in London, Nottingham, and Weybridge were reportedly informed via email about the stricter policy on remote work. This marked a shift from Boots’ previous policy, implemented after the COVID-19 outbreak, which encouraged a three-day-a-week presence. The firm promised office upgrades to include improved Wi-Fi, more quiet work areas, and an enhanced food selection.

Jo Bertram, Managing Director of Virgin Media O2 Business, said: “2023 was marked by pressures from the cost-of-living crisis and inflation, but Brits and businesses adapted, setting trends that are likely to continue in 2024. Our full-year Virgin Media O2 Business Movers Index shows that people defied delays to return to the office in droves, as people rediscovered the benefits of their workplaces and businesses set office day policies.

“Brits found ways to prioritise their spending and public transport presented a way to get on the move at a lower cost, allowing them to spend more supporting local businesses when they needed it most.”