Flexible working to increase 45% post-pandemic

The research, carried out by Direct Line Life Insurance, found workers want more flexibility now they realise how efficiently they can work from home. They also wanted to continue working from home to save time and money on commuting.

Working from home two days a week was the most popular option for those wishing to maintain long-term flexible arrangements once it becomes safe to return to their workplace, with one in eight hoping to do so.

Other popular options are working from home one day (10 percent) or three days a week (10 percent), while 12 percent of UK workers are planning to ask their employer to work from home permanently.

Additional research among HR directors found that companies are already preparing to receive significant volumes of flexible working requests once the pandemic has eased.

HR directors predict there will be a 45 percent increase in the number of their employees requesting some form of flexible working compared to before the pandemic.

Direct Line Life Insurance said if their prediction is correct, this could mean 70 percent of the workforce that are able to - will work flexibly long-term after coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Over two fifths (43 percent) of HR directors say they will offer some employees the option to work from home five days a week, while one in five (20 percent) will offer employees the chance to work from home three or four days a week.