Hybrid working helps staff retention and productivity, employers told

More than half of firms see flexible working as the future, survey finds

Employees will enjoy better work-life balance under hybrid working model, Acas says. (PA)

Flexible working will help companies retain staff and will boost productivity, new advice says.

Acas, a public body which advises on the workplace, made the suggestion after surveying 2,000 employers.

It found that more than half of these firms see hybrid working as the future, with employees spending some days in the office and others working from home.

By adopting this arrangement, businesses will make themselves more attractive to potential recruits and to current staff, according to Acas.

Employees will also benefit by saving on travel time and by enjoying a better work-life balance, it added.

To achieve the best results, Acas recommends that firms use a trial period to see what works best for them.

Susan Clews, the chief executive of Acas, said: “The pandemic has greatly impacted working life and it’s unsurprising that many employers and their staff have seen the benefits of flexible working during this difficult period.

“Hybrid working existed before Covid and our survey reveals that more than half of employers in Britain expect this type of flexible working to increase once we come out of the pandemic.

“Our new advice can help employers look at the potential benefits of hybrid working, consider whether it is suitable for their workplace, and fairly manage any staff requests.”

Her comments come after several prominent companies, including Asda, have said they will allow more flexible working arrangements once coronavirus restrictions ease.

The supermarket chain said in early July that 4,000 of its staff at its head offices in Leeds and Leicester will be able to choose their own working arrangements.

This fits with the picture indicated by a BBC survey from early May, which found that 43 of the UK’s 50 largest companies would not bring workers back to the office full-time after the pandemic. These companies employ 1.1 million people.

Several weeks ago, the shadow children’s minister Tulip Siddiq told MPs that flexible working needed to be a “right for all rather than a perk for the few”.

The government, however, is keen to encourage workers back to offices in a bid to help town and city centres.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak told the Telegraph last week: “I think for young people, especially, that ability to be in your office, be in your workplace and learn from others more directly, is something that’s really important and I look forward to us slowly getting back to that.”

This is at odds with almost a quarter of the country’s 1 million financial service workers, who would work full-time from home if they had a choice, according to a study by Accenture.