Jobs with an option for flexible working are in high demand, with one in four employees willing to change jobs for one with remote working options.
Research from totaljobs revealed that remote working is in the top five sought-after benefits when candidates are looking for a new employer.
One in five workers said they would select a job that offered remote working over one that did not. And, given the choice, 38 per cent of the UK workforce preferred working from home, a figure that rose to 46 per cent of 18–34-year-olds but fell to 31 per cent of over 55s.
Women were most appreciative of the option of working from home (24 per cent), compared with men (16 per cent).“Our research confirms a shift towards remote working, with an increasing number of millennials viewing the option to work remotely as a priority when looking for a new job,” said Martin Talbot, Group Marketing Director at totaljobs.
“With news that 28 per cent of workers would change jobs if their current employer did not offer remote working, it is more important than ever for businesses to improve their work from home offering.”
However, the research also highlighted that some employers do not trust their employees to work remotely. Around 12 per cent of bosses do not offer flexible working options because they find it too difficult to manage their workforce remotely, while 15 per cent admitted to using software to track how long employees spent on certain tasks when working at home.
Although there are concerns around trust, one-fifth of employers believe their staff are more productive and happier when working remotely, which is why they offer it. Other reasons for offering the benefit included, helping staff to manage their work-life balance (38 per cent) and helping to reduce staff sick leave (24 per cent).
“With the UK in the throes of a productivity crisis, now is the time for employers to find ways of addressing this issue,” added Talbot. “Companies, as well as the wider economy, would benefit from embracing remote working.”
