Most UK companies say remote work positively impacting their business

Companies operating remotely seeing business savings and increased productivity

LONDON, ENGLAND — The vast majority of companies operating remotely in the United Kingdom believe it has positively impacted their business.

This is according to a survey recently published by Remote, a global HR solutions company.

It found that 88 per cent of remote UK businesses believe “having a hybrid/remote company structure has positively impacted their company culture”.

Additionally, those same businesses said remote work has directly led to “improvements in employee retention, satisfaction and productivity”.

Thirty per cent said it allowed more freedom and flexibility, while a comparable 28 per cent said it offered a better work-life balance.

Twenty-five per cent cited increased productivity as one of remote work’s benefits; 24 per cent cited improved happiness and morale; and 23 per cent cited lower overhead costs.

Commenting on the findings, Remote Worker CEO Joseph Boll said it highlights the discrepancy between what proponents of a return-to-office are suggesting and the actual experience of remote companies.

“We’ve known that remote work has incredible benefits for both employers and employees,” said Boll.

“The many positive experiences of remote businesses really should outweigh the speculation of naysayers who insist, incorrectly, that returning to the office is the best way to go.”

Cost savings and wider talent pool

Remote surveyed 1,505 businesses and entrepreneurs who work remotely across the UK, USA and Canada.

However, it also broke down the findings into region-specific data, painting a clearer picture of the UK’s outlook on remote work.

“Companies open to remote employees enjoy greater financial flexibility, a wider pool of accessible talent and more interest from candidates looking for better life-work balance,” Remote noted.

Further, Remote’s data showed, “Our latest survey shows that of the UK companies that have moved to a remote or hybrid business model since 2020, 80 per cent have made savings on their business costs.

“Because remote work allows for maintained — or even increased — levels of productivity, along with significant cost savings, running a remote business has become the preferred tactic for cost-conscious entrepreneurs.”

Additionally, Remote said, “Hiring remote workers significantly increases the pool of available talent, allowing people from all over the world to work for the same company without meeting in an office.”

To this end, for the UK specifically, more than half of the businesses surveyed have hired international employees.

The HR organisation further elaborated, “Across our survey sample, 43.72 per cent of business owners who work remotely report some of their staff as being located in another country.”

Find the latest remote jobs in the UK via Remote Worker.