Only Filipinos spend less time each week in an office than British workers

British workers spend less time in the office than almost any other nation, with only employees in the Philippines averaging fewer days at their desks, according to a new poll. The global survey conducted by property consultancy JLL suggests that UK workers are in the office for just two days a week on average, while their preference is for even fewer—just 1.5 days per week. The report claims that its findings highlight the ongoing reluctance among British employees to return to pre-pandemic office routines, despite increasing pressure from employers. By contrast, workers in Kuwait spend the most time in the office, averaging 4.2 days per week, followed closely by China at 4.1 days. Greece was the only country in the study where employee preferences aligned with employer expectations, with workers spending 3.5 days per week in the office.

The divide between employee and employer expectations is proving to be a growing point of contention in the UK. The study found that nearly 90 percent of British workers are now subject to compulsory office attendance policies. Major corporations such as JPMorgan Chase, Amazon, and advertising giant WPP have mandated that employees return for four or even five days a week. Despite this, the UK has the highest proportion of hybrid job listings in Europe, with LinkedIn reporting that 40 percent of advertised roles in November were hybrid.

One of the more unexpected trends highlighted by JLL’s research is the generational divide in office attendance. Despite assumptions that younger workers would favour remote work, the study found that Generation Z (workers under 24) are in the office more frequently than their older counterparts, averaging 3.1 days per week. This is significantly higher than the overall UK average of two days per week.

Sue Asprey Price, JLL’s head of work dynamics for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, attributed this to the impact of lockdowns on younger professionals. “Lockdowns shaped a whole generation of younger workers who spent their later education and early working lives without the cultural, social, and professional benefits that being with other people can bring,” she explained. “We’re now seeing a big reaction from that generation, with being in the office key to their experience of happy and fulfilling work.”

In contrast, millennial workers—typically aged between 25 and 40—have been the most resistant to returning to the office, with one in three ignoring their employers’ demands for in-person attendance. The preference for remote work is particularly strong among professionals and managers, who have greater flexibility in their roles compared to those in sales, skilled trades, or administrative jobs, where physical presence is often required.

The findings come at a crucial time for UK policymakers. Angela Rayner, the Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, has pledged to make flexible working the “default for all” if Labour wins the next election. This would give employees greater legal protection to work from home, challenging the growing push from businesses for more in-office time.