The firm’s latest Business Outlook Tracker*, which surveyed 607 mid-sized businesses across the UK, finds that almost three quarters (71%) are currently adopting a hybrid working approach. Of these, the majority believe that the approach is adding significant value to their business and their people, including:
Despite these benefits, the majority (85%) of these respondents are still keen that their people spend more time in the office than they are currently. This may be due to a recognition that in-person interactions can often be more beneficial for specific activities - in fact, over three quarters (78%) of the businesses who are currently adopting a hybrid approach say that it is impacting their ability to provide adequate support and development for younger or trainee employees.
Commenting on the findings, Richard Waite, People and Culture Director and Head of Talent and Recruitment, Grant Thornton UK, said:
“A blended approach to in-office working and working from home has become an established way of operating for many organisations since the pandemic. Employees tend to see this as a significant benefit - valuing the flexibility it offers and the ability to better balance professional and personal commitments. In turn, many businesses have also seen a boost to their employees’ wellbeing and productivity but recognise that the need for in-person interaction and connectivity has not gone away with some activity, such as training and development or group collaboration, still requiring that in-person, human element.
“For many businesses, finding the right balance that works for their business, their people, and their clients or customers, needs careful time and consideration. It’s important to ensure that both they and their people can benefit from the opportunities a hybrid and more flexible working approach can offer, while still ensuring that critical business needs are met and that specific groups of people within the organisation, such as newer or early in their career employees, are not disadvantaged.
“At Grant Thornton, we believe that the office remains an integral part of working life, for networking, collaboration and training. But our working approach focuses on embracing the benefits of flexible, agile and hybrid working and encouraging and empowering our people to make sensible decisions when it comes to the best approach to take for the type of work they need to do.
“Implementing a framework will help businesses ensure that when their people are making choices about where and when they’re working, they have the support and tools needed to ensure they do the right thing and are working in a way that balances and meets the needs of everyone. This trust-based approach, with clear guiding principles, allows employees to feel valued and supported to deliver high quality work and meet the needs of their clients or customers, while also allowing employees to feel the benefits of hybrid working in their personal lives – for example through being better able to balance family or caring commitments or through enhanced wellbeing.”
*Censuswide, on behalf of Grant Thornton UK, surveyed 607 senior decision makers in UK mid-sized businesses – defined as those with revenue between £50million-£1billion - in February 2025.
Press Release
Hybrid working boosting employee productivity and wellbeing, yet businesses are still keen for more time in the office
02 Apr 2025
New research from leading business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK finds that the vast majority of businesses believe that adopting a hybrid working approach has boosted their people’s productivity and wellbeing, yet many are still keen for their people to spend more time in the office than they do currently.
The firm’s latest Business Outlook Tracker*, which surveyed 607 mid-sized businesses across the UK, finds that almost three quarters (71%) are currently adopting a hybrid working approach. Of these, the majority believe that the approach is adding significant value to their business and their people, including:
Despite these benefits, the majority (85%) of these respondents are still keen that their people spend more time in the office than they are currently. This may be due to a recognition that in-person interactions can often be more beneficial for specific activities - in fact, over three quarters (78%) of the businesses who are currently adopting a hybrid approach say that it is impacting their ability to provide adequate support and development for younger or trainee employees.
Commenting on the findings, Richard Waite, People and Culture Director and Head of Talent and Recruitment, Grant Thornton UK, said:
“A blended approach to in-office working and working from home has become an established way of operating for many organisations since the pandemic. Employees tend to see this as a significant benefit - valuing the flexibility it offers and the ability to better balance professional and personal commitments. In turn, many businesses have also seen a boost to their employees’ wellbeing and productivity but recognise that the need for in-person interaction and connectivity has not gone away with some activity, such as training and development or group collaboration, still requiring that in-person, human element.
“For many businesses, finding the right balance that works for their business, their people, and their clients or customers, needs careful time and consideration. It’s important to ensure that both they and their people can benefit from the opportunities a hybrid and more flexible working approach can offer, while still ensuring that critical business needs are met and that specific groups of people within the organisation, such as newer or early in their career employees, are not disadvantaged.
“At Grant Thornton, we believe that the office remains an integral part of working life, for networking, collaboration and training. But our working approach focuses on embracing the benefits of flexible, agile and hybrid working and encouraging and empowering our people to make sensible decisions when it comes to the best approach to take for the type of work they need to do.
“Implementing a framework will help businesses ensure that when their people are making choices about where and when they’re working, they have the support and tools needed to ensure they do the right thing and are working in a way that balances and meets the needs of everyone. This trust-based approach, with clear guiding principles, allows employees to feel valued and supported to deliver high quality work and meet the needs of their clients or customers, while also allowing employees to feel the benefits of hybrid working in their personal lives – for example through being better able to balance family or caring commitments or through enhanced wellbeing.”
*Censuswide, on behalf of Grant Thornton UK, surveyed 607 senior decision makers in UK mid-sized businesses – defined as those with revenue between £50million-£1billion - in February 2025.