More than two in five UK firms (41 per cent) have increased onsite working requirements over the past year, according to a British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) survey of 583 businesses – 94 per cent of which are small to medium-sized.
Nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents expect staff to be in the office full-time over the coming 12 months, up from just 27 per cent with similar expectations back in 2023.
Sector breakdown reveals sharp contrasts: 62 per cent of manufacturers and 61 per cent of business-to-consumer firms plan to require full onsite attendance, compared with only 27 per cent of business-to-business services companies. British Chambers of Commerce
The research, conducted between 24 April and 14 May 2025, also shows that views on productivity diverge too. About half of manufacturers (49 per cent) say remote or hybrid working dampens output; among all firms surveyed, only 9 per cent felt it boosts productivity. Meanwhile, a quarter of B2B service firms reported improved productivity under remote models.
Despite concerns from some, most firms (67 per cent) say the shift hasn’t impacted recruitment or retention, but 9 per cent have lost staff because of return-to-office demands.
Jane Gratton, BCC’s Director of Public Policy, says the data highlight a growing divergence in flexible versus on-site models. She notes that while hybrid working remains a fixture for many, for some firms – particularly in manufacturing and once with consumer-facing roles – onsite working may better suit their operations or cost pressures.
