Working from Home Productivity and Wellbeing Statistics 2026

Once considered a rare employee perk, remote and hybrid working arrangements have transformed the way businesses operate, and are now considered a normal part of working life for millions of workers in the UK. However, the debate about whether it benefits productivity and employee wellbeing rages on.

It will come as no surprise that, as a company that specialises in virtual office solutions that empower owners and employees to work remotely, we’re big fans of flexible working arrangements, but we think that the stats back us up.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the research that has been conducted since the Covid pandemic accelerated the working from home trend to discover what the data actually says.

Fully remote versus hybrid working models: Definitions and distinctions

Let’s start with some clear definitions, because when talking about working from home there are two distinct models for how this can work: fully remote and hybrid.

As the names suggest, fully remote means employees work entirely outside of a traditional, centralised office environment, while hybrid is a combination of remote and office working. However, this doesn’t mean that remote workers won’t sometimes be required, or asked to, travel to an office or other specified location.

The specifics of each working model will vary from company to company, and employment contracts should detail exactly what’s required of employees. For example, for hybrid employees the contract should specify the number of days per week (or month) they’re required to work from the office. By contrast, contracts for remote employees should clearly state that they are entitled to work remotely, but that they may have to attend an office if reasonably asked to do so.

How Covid-19 and lockdown impacted remote working

Remote working arrangements existed and were increasing prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, but they were far from common practice, and the tools to do so weren’t mature or in common usage. 

• According to the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD) report, ‘Homeworking in the UK: Before and During the 2020 Lockdown’, just 5.7% of UK employees reported ‘working mainly from home’ at the start of 2020 (WISERD)
• Unsurprisingly, this increased dramatically during lockdown when all but non-essential workers were ordered to stay home, hitting 43.1% in April 2020 (WISERD)

The main concern of employers who don’t embrace remote or hybrid working is that employees won’t work as hard without oversight. However, this wasn’t borne out by the WISERD report: 

• 70% of homeworkers reported getting more or as much done as they had six months earlier (WISERD)

Although we’ve not had a lockdown in the UK since 2021, the impact of the necessary dramatic shift towards more remote working has had a permanent impact on the employment landscape. 

• A study measuring remote and hybrid work across 20 OECD countries from January 2019 to December 2023, based on over 1 billion job postings from the global job site Indeed, found that job ads offering working from home (WFH) arrangements more than quadrupled on average (Science Direct)

This trend isn’t seen across every occupation, some of which can’t be carried out effectively (or at all) from home. However, the share of advertised remote work in occupations with a high prevalence for WFH has increased uninterrupted since the beginning of the pandemic, including when lockdown restrictions had been almost entirely lifted.

The current state of remote working

Six years on from the start of lockdown, what’s the current state of remote working in the UK? 

• WFH peaked in April 2020 when more than four in ten employees were working remotely (Science Direct)
• But the percentage of workers reporting working from home ‘all or some of the time’ in a seven day period (4th-29th March 2026) is almost identical: 42% versus 43.1% six years earlier (ONS)
• A further 10% hadn’t worked from home in the previous seven days but were able to (ONS)
• However, in 2026 the difference is that this is primarily made up of hybrid workers, with just 11% reporting that they work from home all of the time (ONS)
• When it comes to formalised hybrid working arrangements, the UK has one of the highest adoption rates, second only to Canada, with the average employee working remotely 1.8 days per week (Modern CV)

According to ONS data (4th-29th March 2026) the percentage of workers reporting working from home ‘all or some of the time’ in a seven day period is almost identical: 42% versus 43.1% six years earlier (Office of National Statistics)

Source: Office for National Statistics

• On-site working is still the most prevalent, but hybrid working was at 28% for 5th-30th March 2025, compared to 15% at the beginning of 2024 and 13% at the beginning of 2023 (ONS)
• Remote working arrangements are also desired by job seekers, with almost half (49%) wanting to work from home some or all of the time (YouGov)

Yet despite evidence showing productivity gains and other benefits for employee wellbeing, an increasing number of employers are pushing for staff to return to the office. The likes of Instagram, Amazon and JP Morgan Chase are now mandating five day office attendance, suggesting a perception that employees work best when in the office. 

• Less than half (41%) of employers believe remote and hybrid working has increased productivity, while 16% think it has actually reduced it (Modern CV)

But how does this stack up against reality?

How remote working impacts productivity: reality versus perception

The lockdowns enforced to tackle the Covid pandemic provided the ideal test case for remote work and its impact on productivity. Numerous studies have subsequently shown that, far from a hindrance to employee output, WFH arrangements could actually offer productivity gains when implemented correctly. 

Research conducted by King’s College London examined the long-term impact of flexible working at Tempo BPO, a multinational operating in the call centre industry. 

• The study found that, following the transition to fully remote work during the pandemic, productivity increased by 10.5%, thanks to quieter home-working environments that facilitated shorter call durations (King’s College London)
• Workers also believe they’re more productive when working from home, with 75% claiming that they get more done thanks to fewer distractions, more autonomy and because they find it easier to concentrate (Standout CV)

However, the WFH practices won’t deliver increased productivity without working hard to ensure they’re implemented correctly. New research involving over 800 UK businesses found that investing in training and ensuring practices were adequately managed was critical to providing productivity gains. 

• When issues did arise, the study identified that they were driven by issues in managing and coordinating remote teams (University of Birmingham)

The benefits of remote work extend beyond productivity

The potential benefits of implementing remote work within your organisation goes far beyond productivity gains alone.

• Offering WFH in some form has been found to boost employee satisfaction by 20%, driven by a better work-life balance, as well as evidence it enables workers to make healthier choices, including eating better (Science Direct)
• WFH was also linked to employees feeling less stressed and having lower blood pressure, according to a large-scale review of academic studies (Oxford Academic)
• Working from home has also made it easier for employees to find the time to exercise, with six in ten performing some physical activity during the day (Standout CV)
• Remote workers save an average of 5 hours per week on commuting time, as well as £26 per day on food and travel costs (Standout CV)

Potential disadvantages of working from home you should be aware of

Both hybrid and fully remote working models have been shown to offer a wide range of benefits in terms of productivity and employee wellbeing, but there are also some pitfalls businesses should be aware of.

• 57% of businesses identified team cohesion and collaboration as their top management challenge (LSE)
• 65% of businesses that discontinued remote working reported negative productivity effects (LSE) 
• More than half reported challenges in early-stage innovation activities, such as idea generation and face-to-face interactions (LSE)

As the above research conducted by the London School of Economics demonstrates, some employers do still have a distrust of remote working practices, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that businesses are reporting negative experiences, but there’s data showing that some employees have had poor experiences too.

In early 2021, the Royal Society for Public Health surveyed different groups of workers who transitioned to remote working during the pandemic. The study found that:

• Although more people found WFH benefited their health and wellbeing, almost one third (29%) reported the opposite (RSPH)

What’s more, all of the people polled reported: 

• Feeling less connected to their colleagues (67%) (RSPH)
• Exercising less (46%) (RSPH)
• Developing musculoskeletal problems (39%) (RSPH)
• Experiencing disturbed sleep (37%) (RSPH)

The WFH environment of those polled played a big part in this. Of those who had to work from a sofa or bedroom during lockdown: 

• Nearly half (48%) developed musculoskeletal problems (RSPH)
• 59% felt isolated (RSPH)

What’s more, people with multiple housemates were most likely to think remote work was bad for their health and wellbeing (41%), compared to those living alone (29%) or with a partner (24%).

Final thoughts

At Hoxton Mix, we’re firm believers in the power of flexible working practices to create better environments and company cultures, and we practice what we preach with our own remote working policies.

This is backed up by the various studies conducted over the last six years that have shown implementing WFH practices can deliver benefits to organisations and employees alike, but it’s not a guarantee. Working conditions alone won’t drive business performance, so make sure you keep doing the other stuff well: emphasise clear communication, provide achievable targets, celebrate achievements and support team members when they need it.,

Businesses also need to ensure remote workers are set up for success, and be aware that working from home isn’t right for everyone.

Implementing it effectively requires strategic planning, training and the right tools and technology in place to make sure everyone can do their jobs to the best of their ability and connect with colleagues. From investing in virtual office solutions and collaboration software, to providing the right equipment, businesses that embrace remote work and take the time to do it right can boost productivity and enhance employee wellbeing, ultimately leading to improved engagement and talent retention.

Want to find out how Hoxton Mix can support the transition to remote work? Get in touch with the team today to find out more about our range of services.