Savills Office FiT survey of over 3,500 office workers across EMEA during Q2 2021 indicates that 12% of UK office workers expect to be using flexible offices at least some of the time after the pandemic subsides, up from 3% of workers at the start of the pandemic. Flex offices remain most popular among younger workers aged 18–24, with 25% opting to work in flex workspace, however only 7% of workers aged 55+ would choose to work in a flex office post-pandemic. Providing a full-service offering will be essential to encourage workers back to the workplace.

Interesting, there was little change in preference for flex working between business sectors, with 15% of tech workers opting for flex space, whereas only 7% of legal workers would choose to work in a flex environment. We anticipate rising flex demand from digital and creative functions of larger financial services industries seeking to attract workers back.

9% of respondents reported that they would use an alternative company workplace either all of the time or most of the time, instead of their primary workplace (likely to be the HQ). The commute plays a key role in the overall workplace experience and demand will therefore remain most resilient for offices based in close proximity to major transport hubs. However, face to face interaction will remain of paramount importance in the office, so this style of workspace may be more suitable for workers who will want the option to reduce their commute and work in a less collaborative environment.

Important factors

Among the most important workplace factors were personal safety (79% considered high importance), low levels of background noise (74%) and workplace experience (62%). Providing a workplace with the right balance of collaborative space and independent workstations will be essential in encouraging workers to return to the workplace and facilitating various working styles.

_{Read the articles within Spotlight: UK Flex Office Perspectives  below.}