With a recession looming, Brits want to stay home and save money as much as possible — and that includes working.
Most people who want more remote work are looking to save money. (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels)
Many British workers are worried about whether the economy will enter a recession, and thinking about what they can do to prepare themselves just in case.
While most UK workers are hybrid, increased concern about money is making more people look for ways to work from home full-time.
A new work experience tracker by Sodexo, a food & beverage management services company, found that 35% of workers want more remote work opportunities.
Of that 35%, a whopping 92% said it’s because they’re looking to cut costs ahead of a possible recession.
Here are the three biggest things workers want to save on:
1. Commute
Commuting costs can add up. (Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya on Pexels)
Getting rid of long, exhausting commutes was one of the biggest draws of remote work. It started out with the benefit of avoiding large crowds to avoid the novel coronavirus, but employees quickly saw the positive perk of not having to wake up hours early to get to work on time.
Aside from saving on time, workers want to axe their commute to save on monthly costs. And Sodexo’s report, “Navigating and Future Proofing the Evolving Workplace,” found that UK workers in particular are “more cost-conscious than ever.”
In tough times, we all want to penny-pinch and stash away every sliver of savings we can. While most British workers have been quite happy with hybrid work up until now, they may be thinking of making some adjustments in the interest of cost savings during this time.
2. Fuel/parking
Seventy-eight percent of respondents want more remote work to save on fuel & parking. (Photo: Dawn McDonald on Unsplash)
Similarly to concerns about commuting, British employees who drive to work are looking for ways to cut down on the cost of buying gas and parking when going to work.
Some 78% of respondents in the survey cited this as a major reason for wanting more remote work in the future ahead of a possible recession.
For employees who work in a major city, the hassle and cost of finding parking can add up — it’s no wonder many would be willing to remove this from the equation.
3. Meals
Remote workers save on eating out. (Photo by Mizuno K. on Pexels)
“Food perks” plays such a major factor for workers that it has its own section in Sodexo’s report.
Nearly 50% of respondents said they purchase snacks and meals from nearby food outlets or convenience stores when working in-office.
This is another cost that workers can save on if they’re working from home, where they have the flexibility to make their own meals.
Notably, though, Sodexo found that workers in the UK said they could possibly be swayed to continue hybrid working if their employer provided benefits like contributing to transportation costs or providing free meals.
At the end of the day, British workers are looking to save time and money without losing their well-being!
Find the latest remote jobs in the UK via RemoteWorker.co.uk.