Government survey reveals hybrid working here to stay

A new government survey has revealed that nearly a third of businesses in the North East of England say increased homeworking will be a permanent feature.

The Business Insights and Conditions survey, which received more than 8000 responses from across the UK, found huge numbers of North East firms wanted to make changes brought about by Covid permanent.

Experts have now said there are opportunities for businesses across the North East to become world-leaders in the new hybrid approach, where firms work some of the week at home and some in the office.

In the survey, 81.3 per cent of North East businesses said they were pursuing the change because it improved staff wellbeing, 40.4 per cent said it increased productivity, while 47.6 per cent said it would allow them to recruit from a wider geographic pool.

Gavin Brown, director of Speak With Impact, said: “It’s been clear for some time that many businesses across the north east of England would adopt some degree of hybrid working as a long-term solution.

“This survey shows almost a third of businesses now see this as the future. This means we have to prepare at all levels for the change.

“That includes improving training when it comes to using virtual applications like Zoom properly, and serious investment in technology.

“If the North East embraces this, there’s actually a huge opportunity to make it one of the leading hybrid business centres in the world.

“That will boost the economy, increase high-quality employment opportunities and open up the world to businesses who previously operated mainly within these shores.”

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