The UK workforce is continuing to change its work culture. New research by Owl Labs highlights key trends that highlight the shift to greater flexibility, more boundaries and a rejection of the traditional hustle culture.
The annual State of Hybrid Work Report of the company, which surveyed over 2,000 full-time UK workers and 8,000 worldwide, highlights a growing demand for hybrid models of work and a better work-life balance.
Flexibility over Full-Time Office Work
Hybrid working is still preferred by the majority of UK employees, despite high-profile mandates for return-to office (RTO) from companies such as PwC and Santander. Only 11% of workers prefer full-time office jobs. The report shows 74 percent of UK employees are in favour hybrid work arrangements. If hybrid or remote work were no longer available, 47 percent of employees would look for a job with more flexibility.
The UK government under the new Labour leadership is considering introducing a 4-day workweek as well as the “right to switch off”–a measure designed to empower employees further to control their own working hours.
The Decline of Hustle Culture
The rejection of hustle culture is increasing as hybrid work grows. Nearly one fifth (19%) of workers refuse to do tasks that are outside their job description. As employees place more value on work-life balance, 20 percent of workers avoid responding to work messages after office hours. For better balance, 73 percent of UK workers would even sacrifice a little salary to have a four-day work week.
Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, says that employees are looking for authentic work experiences which allow them to pursue their passions and reduce burnout. It is clear that workers are prioritizing flexibility and wellbeing over hustle culture.
Clock-Blocking & Coffee Badging
To protect their time, workers are adopting practices like “clock-blocking”–blocking off calendar time to avoid meetings–with 63 percent admitting to doing so. The “coffee badge” phenomenon, where employees briefly appear in the office to finish the day before working remotely, has risen from 23 percent of workers in 2023, to 39 percent of employees this year. Over half of the employees who confess to coffee badging report that their employers caught them.
Leadership and Work Culture: The Role of Leadership
The role of managers is evolving as hybrid work becomes more prevalent. The importance of a supportive manager has increased, and now 89 percent value it more than salary. 54 percent of managers admitted to a proximity bias, preferring input from those they work with physically over remote colleagues.
Weishaupt stresses the importance of preparing managers to adapt to new realities. “People do not leave companies; they leave managers,” he says. To create flexible, supportive leaders in the workplace, it’s vital that companies invest in their management.
Flexibility, boundaries and balance are essential for the UK’s workforce as it continues to grow. Comp
