Workers switch off early on Fridays as hybrid working continues to reshape the week

A growing number of remote workers in the UK are ending their week early on Fridays, according to new data that highlights the shifting rhythms of hybrid working. Figures from Virgin Media show that broadband usage among home workers drops by around 8 percent between 3pm and 5pm on summer Fridays compared with winter, suggesting that many employees are logging off ahead of the traditional end of the working day.

The findings appear to reflect wider changes in the structure of the working week as hybrid work becomes established. Many people are frontloading tasks earlier in the week and using Friday afternoons to decompress or prepare for the weekend. According to a survey by Owl Labs, 59 percent of remote workers said they felt no guilt about signing off early on a Friday, and 62 percent believed they were more productive earlier in the week.

The UK remains one of Europe’s most hybrid-friendly countries, with workers averaging 1.8 days a week at home, compared to a global average of 1.3 days. However, this flexibility is not always mirrored in company policies. While around 30 percent of employers formally support summer Friday hours, many others are either silent on the issue or are currently tightening their attendance expectations.

Major employers including Amazon, Goldman Sachs and HSBC have introduced new return-to-office mandates, some requiring three to five days a week on site. Yet the appetite for such rigid schedules appears limited. A survey from Unispace found that only 42 percent of UK workers would accept a full-time return to the office, and nearly half said they would consider changing jobs if asked to do so.

The decline of traditional summer perks such as half-day Fridays may also be linked to the wider adoption of year-round flexibility. With hybrid work now embedded into many roles, seasonal benefits may carry less weight than before.

The shifting patterns raise important questions about how organisations define productivity and structure the working week. While early Friday finishes may once have been seen as a benefit, they now appear to reflect broader changes in how work is organised and measured. Employers face the challenge of balancing flexibility with fairness, particularly for those in roles that do not lend themselves to remote work or adjusted hours.