As the UK marks five years since the Covid pandemic, new data from Robert Half suggests businesses and workers may have finally come to a compromise on the return to office debate, with fewer people indicating that remote working will influence their decision to move jobs.

In the latest iteration of its Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) – Robert Half reported a fall in the number of professionals who believe that a lack of remote working options will have a negative impact on an organisation’s ability to recruit new staff (down 17-percentage points year-on-year), meaning workers seem to be accepting the return to the office.

The number of people seeking a new role in order to access flexible working arrangements has also fallen to below a quarter (23%), marking a decline of six percentage points year-on-year, suggesting that employees are happier with the current combination of office and remote set ups. This is in keeping with recent reports from the Centre for Cities which revealed that workers in London now spend more than half (2.7 days) of the working week in the office, up from 2.2 days in 2023.

Matt Weston, Senior Managing Director UK & Ireland, at Robert Half commented: “The last five years have seen a step change in how and where people work, but the big focus recently has been on the return to the office, with workers and businesses at odds for some time over what a good balance looks like."

"In fact, in Q3 last year our Salary Guide revealed that more than two thirds of employers would base promotions on physical presence in the office in a bid to encourage returns. Now, though, it seems as if we have finally reached a turning point, with the number of workers who believe that a lack of remote working will impact staff attraction and retention now falling."

“Facetime with peers is hugely valuable and the sense of connectivity and collaboration that you get by being together in person is hard to replicate in a virtual setting. The development opportunities from face-to-face conversations are also invaluable, something that our research suggests both employees and employers acknowledge. However, it’s important to be mindful of the fact that being in the office doesn’t mean that flexibility is completely eliminated."

"Employee flexibility is an important factor in enhancing productivity, retention, and overall job satisfaction. And with firms facing skills shortages and a stubbornly tight labour market, adopting these practices can result in a more engaged and satisfied workforce, as well as greater organisational success.”