According to a new European study by global workplace creation experts Unispace, 67 per cent of UK and Irish office workers are reluctant to return to the office after the pandemic.

The detailed survey of 3,000 office workers, 2,750 employers in leadership roles at businesses employing over fifty persons - and interviews with global senior leaders in Real Estate, HR and Operations - also revealed that 71 per cent of business leaders themselves are reluctant to physically return to the workplace.

When questioned as to the reasons behind the reluctance to return to the office, commuting was shown to be their biggest concern - unsurprising after having experienced a period of saving money on travel expenses and gaining time not travelling to and from work. However, 75 per cent of respondents stated that if employers agreed to pay their travel costs, it would encourage them back to the workplace.

The research also revealed that 41 per cent of workers feel they were more productive in the workplace than at home; 93 per cent stated that they would like to see changes made to their current place of work to make it more appealing and 25 per cent said they would like to see more private spaces available. Others - 23 per cent - wanted a better layout, whilst 22 per cent would prefer more amenities.

The study disclosed that UK and Irish employers had taken various steps to attract employees back to the office, but these are not in line with what the employees want. Some respondents stated that a number of new measures have been introduced with 40 per cent citing safety protocols; 36 per cent offering flexible starting times and 32 per cent providing separate spaces for collaboration and quiet working.

Lawrence Mohiuddine - CEO EMEA at Unispace - stated:

“The UK and Ireland were two of the few countries polled across Europe where employers were more reluctant to return than their employees. While we can certainly see a clear trend in concerns around the commute for workers in these two locations, the mismatch between the incentives that businesses are implementing - and what employees really want to feel encouraged back to the workplace - does suggest some employers only understand their workforce at a surface-level.

With so many employees indicating a desire for workplace improvements, there is clearly a need to re-think workspaces across the UK and Ireland to encourage employees back.”