People think office presence is still rewarded

Nearly a third of UK workers believe being present in the office is rewarded when employers make promotion decisions, despite the continuing shift towards hybrid and remote working, according to new research from HR technology firm HiBob. The research found that 30 percent of workers believe office presence is rewarded in promotion decisions, the same proportion who cited revenue delivery. Visibility to senior leadership was cited by 34 percent of respondents, while 33 percent said constant availability was rewarded, suggesting employees continue to see physical and organisational visibility as important factors in career progression.

The findings come ahead of planned changes to UK employment law intended to strengthen employees’ access to flexible working. From 2027, employers are expected to face stronger requirements around statutory flexible-working requests, although the precise obligations will depend on the final legislation and accompanying regulations.

HiBob’s findings suggest that changes to employment rights may have limited effect on working culture if employers do not also reconsider the way they assess performance, recognise contribution and make decisions about career progression. Perceptions about the importance of visibility also appear to be influencing employees’ decisions about when to attend the workplace.

More than a quarter of respondents, 28 percent, said greater visibility to their manager was one of the factors that made working in the office appealing. Meanwhile, 13 percent said they had been excluded from an important decision because they were not in the office, highlighting the potential consequences for employees who spend more of their working time remotely.

The research also points to continued growth in flexible working. HiBob said the proportion of employees working remotely or under a hybrid arrangement increased from 52 percent in 2025 to 64 percent in 2026. The proportion who would prefer to work remotely or in a hybrid model rose even more sharply, from 64 percent to 77 percent over the same period.

Nirit Peled-Muntz, chief people officer at HiBob, said the findings indicated a mismatch between formal flexible-working policies and the way employees believe their contribution is assessed. “The law can – and should – give people the right to ask for flexibility. It cannot change what managers choose to reward,” she said. “If employees believe showing their face in the office matters as much as delivering revenue, that is a management problem. You cannot call yourself a flexible organisation while promotion still depends on proximity, visibility and who happens to be in the room.”

Peled-Muntz said employers needed a clearer understanding of the skills employees possess, their impact and the value they create rather than relying on visibility or availability as proxies for performance. As working patterns continue to change, she argued, organisations also need to adapt the way they manage, develop and promote their employees. “The next phase of flexible working cannot just be about where people are allowed to work. It has to be about building organisations that recognise talent and contribution wherever they sit,” she said. “Otherwise, flexible working risks becoming a modern policy sitting on top of an outdated management model.”