Flexible work in the UK – statistics, facts and the law 2025

Why offer flexible work to your employees?

Happy people = productive people

It’s really simple – flexible work gives people more control over how, when and where they do their jobs.

And when you give people more freedom to build their lives in a way that what works for them, they’re happier.

That happiness equates to improved productivity, better wellbeing, and job loyalty.

The legal side of flexible working in the UK

Recognising its importance, the UK government has established laws to support flexible working arrangements and employees’ right to request flexible work.

• Right to request flexible working

As of 6 April 2024, all employees in the UK have the legal right to request flexible working from their first day on the job.

This means employees can ask their employers for changes to working hours, times, or location to better suit their needs.

Employers are required to consider these requests reasonably and can only refuse them for specific business reasons.

• ACAS Guidance

To help both employers and employees navigate flexible working requests ACAS has published a new Code of Practice.

This code offers practical advice on handling requests fairly and transparently, aiming to foster positive workplace cultures.

ACAS emphasises that the starting point should be to consider what may be possible and recognising that each situation is unique.

The rise of flexible working in the UK   

There is no doubt that although the debate continues – flexible working arrangements are on the rise and continuing to become a significant part of the UK’s work culture.

• In January 2025, around 16% of workers in Great Britain worked from home exclusively. (Statista).
• Over 4.2 million people in the UK currently work flex-time hours. (Statista)
• Around 62% of UK workers have the option to work from home regularly. (Statista)

The story is similar when you look globally. Research from Buffer looking into the experiences of 3,000 remote workers from around the world found the below:

• 98% of employees would like to work remotely (at least some of the time) for the rest of their careers.
• 71% of companies are permanently allowing some amount of remote work.
• Only 8 percent of respondents said their companies are not allowing any form of remote work.

But not all industries and sectors are created equal – and frontline workers unfortunately aren’t seeing the same benefits as office workers.

A report from the Guardian highlighted the divide – while office-based employees are benefiting from flexible arrangements, frontline workers are being left behind…

“As a result, the world of work remains “frozen in time” for people in sectors such as retail, transport, health and social care and construction, it found, even though they account for about a third of the UK workforce, representing 10.5 million people.”

Employee demand vs. employer policies 

While most workers see flexible working as essential for work-life balance, some businesses are still hesitant – often due to concerns about trust, productivity, or navigating legal requirements.

But ignoring flexible working could backfire.

Companies that resist change risk losing great employees to competitors who embrace it.

When people feel stuck in rigid work setups, job satisfaction drops and retention becomes a challenge. The reality is businesses that adapt to employee needs will have a happier, more loyal workforce in the long run.

At Stribe we recommend running remote work pulse surveys to understand what works best for your employees, and how to support them.

• 8 in 10 employers lost talent when enforcing return-to-office mandates (ResumeBuilder).
• Moving from 3 to 5 in-office days offers no significant productivity gains but can decrease employee satisfaction. (Barron’s)

Flexible working statistics in the UK

The CIPD have brilliant resources supporting the business case for flexible working – with extensive research proving it’s better for businesses and people.

The following statistics are sourced from the CIPD:

Retention

• Flexible work leads to higher levels of engagement and can reduce staff turnover by 87%. 

Recruitment  

• 92% of young people want to work flexibly.  
• When thinking about a new role 71% of workers say being able to have a flexible working pattern is important to them and 69% say the ability to work remotely is important. 

Productivity 

• 9 in 10 employees consider flexible working to be a key motivator for their productivity at work. 
• 81% of employees who have access to remote working believe it increases their productivity.   

Absenteeism and wellbeing

• Flexible working can reduce absence rates as it allows people to manage disabilities, health conditions, caring responsibilities, as well as looking after their mental health. 

Engagement and business outcomes

• Flexible workers can generate up to 43% more revenue and improve performance by 20% compared to disengaged employees.   
• Flexible workers have a higher level of job satisfaction, commitment, and are more likely to increase their discretionary efforts compared to those who do not work flexibly. 
• The normalisation and support of flexible working arrangements can help businesses to reduce their gender pay gap and improve workplace diversity. 

Finding what flexibility looks like for your team

Finding the right flexible working setup shouldn’t be just about policies or productivity – it’s about listening to your people.

Stribe makes it easy for you to run flexible work surveys, giving employees a voice and helping organisations understand what really works for their teams.

Whether you’re figuring out the balance between remote and office work or tackling concerns with change, Stribe provides the insights you need to create a setup that benefits everyone.

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