Home workers want the 'best of both worlds'
Workers want the "best of all worlds" by splitting their week between home and the office as a result of the virus crisis, new research suggests.
A study by insurance giant Zurich among its 4,500 employees found that two out of three people who they questioned would like to work from home for more than half of the week.
Of these, a third only want to go into the office one day a week – and the firm is offering its employees a "fully flexible" option on where they work.
Before the lock down, three out of four Zurich employees already enjoyed some form of flexible working, with many working from home for one or two days a week.
Steve Collinson, HR director at Zurich UK, said: "Whilst there's no silver bullet for how and where people work our research has shown us that not everyone wants to work from home five days a week forever.
"In effect, they want the best of all worlds, which is perfectly fine. The world has changed this year and we can't ignore it. We've all had a chance to re-evaluate our lives and reassess our priorities.
"Just by giving employees the chance to work from home one day a week for example, we would save them thousands of hours' commuting that could be spent exercising, meditating, having breakfast with their families, or simply catching up on home admin.”
The study also revealed that one in four Zurich employees cannot wait to get back to the office.
Meanwhile, the current Government health advice to those thinking of a return to the office states that: “If you, or anyone in your household, currently has virus symptoms you must not go to work.”