RETURN-TO-OFFICE: Taxi firm Gett reveals the remaining barriers around getting workers back to the office
- Perry Richardson
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A new report from Gett reveals that more than half of UK office workers (55%) would be willing to return to the office five days a week. However, many expect something in return.
When asked how they would respond to a mandatory increase in office days, more than half of 2,000 surveyed employees said they would seek a pay review. One in four would expect to expense food and other subsistence costs on office days.
Employers appear open to negotiations. Of the 500 business owners and senior leaders surveyed, 60% said they would consider adjusting compensation packages. Nearly half (47%) would offer more flexible working hours to help employees avoid peak travel times.
Gett, a taxi booking platform used by more than 2,000 UK businesses, commissioned the research. The company provides an easy-to-use system that consolidates taxi rides into one monthly bill, reducing the need for manual expense reports. Clients include major law firms, media organisations, financial institutions, and consultancy firms.
The research highlights a gender gap in flexible working policies. This year, 23% of male employees have been granted more flexibility in when and where they work, compared to just 14% of women. While a higher proportion of men believe their office policies are fair, they are also more likely to raise the issue with employers. If required to work in the office more, 58% of men would ask for a renegotiation, compared to 43% of women.
Despite the push for hybrid work, productivity remains a key consideration. Over half of employees believe they would be more productive in the office full-time. Three-quarters say working in the office improves collaboration, with 77% admitting their work suffers when they do not know their colleagues well.
Business leaders share similar concerns. Most (71%) believe a fully remote workforce would negatively impact profits, and 64% are actively measuring how office attendance affects productivity. Nearly a third (27%) already have employees working in the office five days a week.
Definitions of flexible working vary. Just 31% of employees believe true flexibility means complete freedom over when and where they work. Commuting is often seen as a downside of office work, but many employees are using travel time productively. Younger workers (18-24 and 25-34) are the most likely to work during their commute (91% and 88% respectively), compared to 51% of those aged 55 and over.
Rosie McKinnon, Gett’s Director for B2B, said: “While opinions around flexible working and ‘RTO’ continue to divide, our report reveals overall sentiment towards returning to the office is that it is better for individual and business performance.
“Our research shows that the majority of organisations will stay agile and adapt to different working policies and patterns, but the importance of being able to travel to shared workspaces to connect remains a constant. Wherever it’s done, workers and their employers will see stronger results from people engaging in ‘intentional working’ – maximising the time they spend with colleagues collaborating, problem solving, and innovating.”
Rosie adds: “As we all strive for work/life balance, this shows commitment to making all “work” time count. The organisations we partner with that empower their teams with flexibility and autonomy, choose us to help guarantee that those work journeys are smoother and quicker for their workers and create an opportunity to be more productive.”
