Lack of flexible working options drives a million people to swap jobs last year

More than a million UK workers have quit their jobs in the past year due to a lack of flexible working, according to a new poll from the CIPD. The organisation’s latest report highlights a growing tension between employer demands and employee expectations, particularly among younger workers. The survey of 2,000 employers and 5,000 employees suggests that around 3 percent of the workforce left their roles since January 2024 because they were unable to access the flexibility they needed. The findings come more than a year after UK workers gained the legal right to request flexible working from day one.

While most organisations (91 percent) offer some form of flexibility, more than half of employees say they feel pressure to spend more time in the office. In many cases, that pressure appears to come from the top, with 70 percent of workers saying it originates from senior leaders.

Over half of the employers surveyed require staff to be in the workplace for a minimum number of days each week, most commonly three. A further 14 percent specify a set number of days per month. These measures are often introduced to support collaboration, onboarding, and engagement, but the report suggests they may also be contributing to retention challenges.

The CIPD is urging organisations to take a more balanced approach. It says employers should weigh operational needs against workers’ expectations, particularly in light of ongoing skills shortages and difficulties filling vacancies.

The report also calls on employers to offer a broader range of flexible options, such as flexi-time, compressed hours, and job sharing, so that those who cannot work remotely are not excluded from flexible working arrangements. According to the findings, the benefits of flexibility extend beyond convenience. Four in five employees say it has improved their quality of life, and a third report a positive impact on their career prospects, up from 22 percent in 2022.

The CIPD says that supporting flexibility more consistently across different roles and functions will help employers attract and retain talent in a highly competitive labour market.