A rising variety of distant employees within the UK are ending their week early on Fridays, in accordance with new information that highlights the shifting rhythms of hybrid working. Figures from Virgin Media present that broadband utilization amongst dwelling employees drops by round 8 p.c between 3pm and 5pm on summer season Fridays in contrast with winter, suggesting that many staff are logging off forward of the standard finish of the working day.
The findings seem to mirror wider modifications within the construction of the working week as hybrid work turns into established. Many individuals are frontloading duties earlier within the week and utilizing Friday afternoons to decompress or put together for the weekend. In response to a survey by Owl Labs, 59 p.c of distant employees stated they felt no guilt about signing off early on a Friday, and 62 p.c believed they have been extra productive earlier within the week.
The UK stays one in every of Europe’s most hybrid-friendly international locations, with employees averaging 1.8 days per week at dwelling, in comparison with a worldwide common of 1.3 days. Nonetheless, this flexibility just isn’t all the time mirrored in firm insurance policies. Whereas round 30 p.c of employers formally help summer season Friday hours, many others are both silent on the problem or are at the moment tightening their attendance expectations.
Main employers together with Amazon, Goldman Sachs and HSBC have launched new return-to-office mandates, some requiring three to 5 days per week on web site. But the urge for food for such inflexible schedules seems restricted. A survey from Unispace discovered that solely 42 p.c of UK employees would settle for a full-time return to the workplace, and practically half stated they might take into account altering jobs if requested to take action.
The decline of conventional summer season perks akin to half-day Fridays may additionally be linked to the broader adoption of year-round flexibility. With hybrid work now embedded into many roles, seasonal advantages might carry much less weight than earlier than.
The shifting patterns elevate vital questions on how organisations outline productiveness and construction the working week. Whereas early Friday finishes might as soon as have been seen as a profit, they now seem to mirror broader modifications in how work is organised and measured. Employers face the problem of balancing flexibility with equity, significantly for these in roles that don’t lend themselves to distant work or adjusted hours.
