According to new research from Hays, most workers are not willing to forgo the option to work from home. The stats have been revealed amid hybrid working coming under fire in recent months.

Almost half (43%) of Scotland professionals would consider quitting their current role if their employer made it compulsory for them to return-to-office full-time.

Meanwhile, across the UK, women (58%) are more likely to leave their position than men (42%) if they had to give up hybrid working.

Based on a survey of over 8,000 responses from employers and professionals across the UK, the findings also found that employers say over three quarters (77%) of their workforce are currently working in a hybrid way.

For those offering hybrid working across Scotland, most employers allow staff to choose how many days they work remotely (28%), followed by 23% who require their staff to be in the workplace three days a week.

Around 85% of employers also say they haven’t made any changes to their hybrid working policies in the last six months, whilst 15% have asked employees to be in the workplace more often.

Looking ahead, only 6% of employers in Scotland have plans to mandate a return-to-office in the next six months. Two-thirds of employers across the UK (66%) understandably have concerns that a push to return-to-office would cause backlash from their employees.

Scotland professionals say the top factor that would impact their decision to return to the office on a more regular basis is the cost of commuting (69%), as working in the office full-time would increase commuting costs for 83% of workers, with the impact being more significant on women than men.

“The debate over returning to the office full-time versus continuing to work in a hybrid way has been a heated topic in recent months,” said Keith Mason, director at Hays Scotland.

“Three days in the office tends to be the norm, however, we’re seeing many larger organisations here beginning to consider increasing RTO days to four, with some full-time.

“In the face of an evolving work landscape, Scotland’s employers need to be more creative with flexible working arrangements that go beyond the conventional remote and hybrid models. By adopting innovative approaches, businesses can foster a more engaged and productive workforce, while employees enjoy a better work-life balance.

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“The key to success lies in creativity. For example, implementing office ‘anchor days’ – when all staff are required to come into the office on a certain day – can enhance collaboration and team cohesion, providing regular opportunities for in-person interaction. Team rotas can ensure the operational effectiveness of the business, distributing work and responsibilities evenly.

“For many employers, making a full-time return-to-work policy compulsory may put them at risk of losing top talent, as the research illustrates how highly professionals still value the option to work remotely. A relatively small percentage of employers believe that productivity with home-working is less than office-based workers, so it’s important for employers to consider the issue from all sides.”