Business

Workers admit going back to the office makes sense – they just don’t want to do it

By Craig Hale

Copyright techradar

Workers admit going back to the office makes sense - they just don't want to do it

Skip to main content

Tech Radar Pro

Tech Radar Gaming

Close main menu

the business technology experts

België (Nederlands)

Deutschland

North America

US (English)

Australasia

New Zealand

View Profile

Search TechRadar

Expert Insights

Website builders

Web hosting

Best web hosting
Best office chairs
Best website builder
Best antivirus
Expert Insights

Don’t miss these

Best laptop for working from home of 2025

Over half of SMB employees say they’re considering quitting – so how can bosses keep their best talent?

Bad news Microsoft workers – tech giant is “considering” remote working crackdown, and employees could be ordered back to the office soon

Can AI help enterprises transition to a 4-day week?

Workers don’t mind AI tools – they just wish they’d shut up once in a while

Microsoft issues new hybrid policy that will see global workers in office 3 days per week

Does your office hurt your mental health? Research highlights a growing, worrying issue with ‘dull’ workplaces

From presence to purpose in the hybrid era

Don’t call AI agents boss – survey finds workers welcome AI, but still want clear boundaries

Almost half of Gen Z employees claim their bosses simply don’t understand the true benefits of AI, a survey finds, but is more AI actually a good thing?

Gen Z are changing the very nature of how we work, and most businesses aren’t ready for it

Self-employed workers are earning more – and AI is the reason why

AI is already working for your people – now it’s time to make it work for the business

‘Clients are increasingly looking for unique, human creativity’ – research finds demand for creative freelancers is surging despite AI going mainstream

Beyond copilots: the agentic AI revolution on the frontline

Workers admit going back to the office makes sense – they just don’t want to do it

Craig Hale

25 September 2025

Workers will make sacrifices just to WFH

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Unsplash / Jason Strull)

Hybrid working demands are increasing as workers look for even more flexibility
“Microshifting” tackles the traditional 9-5 with more tailored working hours
Having these options is becoming crucial to attracting younger workers

New research has found workers recognize the benefits of in-person time, but they still prefer to retain flexibility and would even make sacrifices for it.

A report from Owl Labs found a large majority (93%) of UK workers agreed they would take action (such as resign) if remote or hybrid options were removed entirely.
Despite companies’ best efforts to update policies to reflect more in-person working, employees simply don’t want it. The number of candidates rejecting jobs without flexible hours has actually risen five percentage points from 39% to 44% in the past year.

You may like

Over half of SMB employees say they’re considering quitting – so how can bosses keep their best talent?

Bad news Microsoft workers – tech giant is “considering” remote working crackdown, and employees could be ordered back to the office soon

Can AI help enterprises transition to a 4-day week?

Workers want remote flexibility, and that’s that
The most common routine seems to be three days per week in the office (41% of workers), with four days (27%) being the second-most popular.

It’s not just time in the office that’s up for debate, though, because many workers want even greater flexibility. Two in three (67%) are interested in “microshifting” as opposed to a linear working time (for example 9-5) so that they can work per their personal energy, responsibility or productivity patterns.
Another traditional working setup has also been questioned – a surprisingly high number (73%) of workers now see a four-day work week as an important benefit, and many would be willing to sacrifice a portion of their salary (average 8%) for this.
This is mostly felt among millennials (77%) and Gen Z (72%), with Boomers (38%) far less likely to agree. Similarly, microshifting is a younger preference.

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Weishaupt added companies championing fluidity and flexibility often see the biggest productivity boosts, making it far more impactful than just improving worker morale.
You might also like

Fancy a change? We’ve listed the best job sites to help you find a new role
The best online collaboration tools keep the flow going between home and work
Hybrid working here to stay? Survey finds huge number of workers would quit if ordered back to the office

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Over half of SMB employees say they’re considering quitting – so how can bosses keep their best talent?

Bad news Microsoft workers – tech giant is “considering” remote working crackdown, and employees could be ordered back to the office soon

Can AI help enterprises transition to a 4-day week?

Workers don’t mind AI tools – they just wish they’d shut up once in a while

Microsoft issues new hybrid policy that will see global workers in office 3 days per week

Does your office hurt your mental health? Research highlights a growing, worrying issue with ‘dull’ workplaces

Latest in Pro

Germany is getting its own sovereign version of OpenAI

Upgrading UK critical services could spur billions in new investment, BT claims

Why engineers are sounding the AI alarm

Microsoft 365 users can now choose between ChatGPT and Claude for their AI needs

Building AI-ready finance teams, not just AI tools

Is IoT infrastructure ready for extreme weather?

Latest in News

Hoping for some big Black Friday laptop deals? Intel CPU price hikes could scupper your plans

YouTube is finally letting you hide one of its most annoying features – and you’re going to be thankful for this

Call Screening in iOS 26 has finally ended my spam call nightmare – here’s how to set it up

Workers admit going back to the office makes sense – they just don’t want to do it

Intel could take a huge leap ahead of AMD in gaming GPUs, with multi-frame generation potentially on the horizon

Saros is out in just six months, and one key feature might just push it above Returnal in my eyes

LATEST ARTICLES

YouTube is finally letting you hide one of its most annoying features – and you’re going to be thankful for this

Intel could take a huge leap ahead of AMD in gaming GPUs, with multi-frame generation potentially on the horizon

I ditched my new iPhone 17 Pro for the iPhone Air, and for the first time in years Apple has blown me away

Microsoft 365 users can now choose between ChatGPT and Claude for their AI needs

Hoping for some big Black Friday laptop deals? Intel CPU price hikes could scupper your plans

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Contact Future’s experts

Terms and conditions

Privacy policy

Cookies policy

Advertise with us

Web notifications

Accessibility Statement

Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street,

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait…