IoD: It Is Not For Government To Second Guess What Working Practices Are Appropriate For Each Business

Responding to the Prime Minister’s comments on hybrid and remote working at the CBI Annual conference, Alex Hall-Chen, Senior Policy Advisor at the Institute of Directors, said:

“After mixed experiences of hybrid working during the pandemic, business leaders are grappling with the best working models going forward.

“It’s a matter for individual organisations to determine their future working arrangements. Some will be strongly encouraging employees to return to the workplace. Others are happier with a more hybrid approach, incorporating a degree of home working. It is not for government to second guess what is appropriate for each business.

“In fact, our own research has found that a large majority of business leaders plan to introduce some form of hybrid or remote working in the long-term. Such working patterns can improve employees’ work-life balance and productivity while reducing commuting costs and boosting inclusion in the workplace. It is for businesses and employees to discuss the best solution for their individual needs.

“However, we welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to improving gigabit broadband provision to ensure that businesses and employees wishing to embrace hybrid and remote working are able to do so.”

In March, an Institute of Directors survey of around 600 business leaders found that over 60% of organisations planned to adopt hybrid working after restrictions ceased. The research found that 63% of business leaders intended to shift towards one to four days of remote working per week. One in five were not planning to introduce any form of remote working, while around one in ten were looking to work from home entirely.




Full Survey Results – 583 respondents*, conducted between 11th-29th of March

*Excluding businesses that have always worked from home

Which of the following most closely describes your organisation's expected average use of the 'workplace' in the long-term?  'Workplace' can refer to offices, factories and workspaces other than home-working.

No remote working	19%
1 day per week remote working	11%
2 days per week remote working	24%
3 days per week remote working	20%
4 days per week remote working	8%
Fully remote working	11%
Don’t know	6%

 

On balance, do you find remote working more or less productive for your own work? 

Significantly more productive	11%
Slightly more productive	29%
No change	20%
Slightly less productive	27%
Significantly less productive	10%
Remote working is not suitable for my work	4%