Back to Office: Priorities of Businesses vs Priorities of Employees

During the pandemic and in the years that followed, many Londoners relocated further afield in search of larger homes, space and gardens; facilitated by hybrid working which made commuting less critical. That trend is now reversing.

Amazon began calling employees back to the office for at least three days a week in 2023. In January 2025, JP Morgan issued a memo formally ending remote work and requiring staff to return to the office full-time. Other corporations followed with similar measures throughout 2024. These policies signalled a gradual change at the time, but there is now renewed impetus. According to The Telegraph, the number of people leaving London has dropped to its lowest in a decade, and Londoners accounted for just 5.3% of home purchases outside the capital in the first seven months of 2025, the lowest level since 2013 (almost half the number recorded at the height of the pandemic). HSBC has also linked employee attendance to pay, demonstrating the seriousness with which employers are addressing office presence.

Yet, as research from King’s College London’s Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL) stresses, the reality is more complex than the headlines suggest. Despite media narratives of a full-scale return to office life, hybrid and flexible working have become deeply embedded expectations in the modern UK workplace.

EMPLOYERS’ PRIORITIES: CONTROL, CULTURE AND PRODUCTIVITY

Employers continue to emphasise the value of in-person collaboration. Research from Harvard Business Review found that face-to-face communication can be up to 34 times more effective than digital alternatives. The Global Innovators Alliance has further stressed that body language, tone of voice and non-verbal cues are central to how trust is built and meaning conveyed. These elements cannot be replicated through email, messaging platforms or virtual meetings. In-person engagement strengthens relationships, accelerates problem-solving and creates a sense of culture and belonging that digital tools cannot deliver.

This shift is visible in workplace behaviour; office attendance reached 60% of pre-pandemic levels in December 2024 (more than double that of 2021). The Amex Global Business Travel Meetings and Events Forecast 2025 reflects the same trend. It reports that 59% of meetings are expected to take place in person this year, with internal meetings forecast to be the most frequent type. Team meetings alone account for 43% of this activity. While meeting professionals are increasingly exploring the use of artificial intelligence in planning and delivery, there remains a strong demand for human connection. Employers are therefore continuing to invest in bringing employees together face-to-face to reinforce culture, reconnect teams and strengthen client relationships.

EMPLOYEES’ PRIORITIES: FLEXIBILITY, WELLBEING AND EQUITY

As is often the case, employee sentiment contrasts with employer priorities. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that in 2023 only 27% of workers preferred to be in the office full-time, while 42% favoured hybrid arrangements. The Concur Global Business Traveller Report 2023 found that 46% of employees now book travel outside of corporate programmes, often prioritising wellbeing, flexibility and safety. Younger employees have been particularly influential in shaping these expectations. JLL’s global survey of 12,000 workers across 44 countries reported that employees under the age of 24 are more likely to attend the office for three days per week, but not more.

This sentiment is not confined to younger generations. Research from King’s College London’s Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL) shows that resistance to mandatory office returns is especially strong among women and parents of young children, who place higher value on flexibility due to caregiving and household responsibilities. The report warns that rigid mandates risk creating a two-tier workforce, where those unable to comply (often women) are pushed out of employment, and those who remain remote are penalised with fewer career opportunities and slower progression. Such outcomes threaten to entrench gender pay gaps and undermine progress on diversity, equity and inclusion.

To support this perspective, we invited comment from Professor Heejung Chung (Professor of Work and Employment and Director of King’s GIWL), whose research underpins much of this debate. She told us:

“Our studies show that remote working can provide benefits for both companies and workers, but only if it is provided to all workers – not only women or mothers. When it is seen as a mother’s policy, we will see an exacerbation of discriminatory views against remote workers. Only when it is normalised, and seen as a long-term smart working policy that supports company performance, can we see positive outcomes on workers’ well-being and company performance.”

Crucially, the GIWL study also found that workers are increasingly willing to quit: only 42% of employees said they would comply with a five-day return-to-office requirement in 2025, down from 54% in early 2022. For businesses already facing acute recruitment and skills shortages, this signals a tangible risk to retention and workforce participation.

The implications are significant. Deloitte’s Wellbeing at Work survey highlighted that lack of flexibility is a key driver of attrition. In highly competitive industries such as finance, technology and law, where the ability to attract and retain skilled employees is critical, flexibility must be seen not as a temporary concession but as a structural necessity. As GIWL stresses, organisations should frame flexibility as a long-term business strategy, one that underpins equity, talent pipelines and productivity in the modern workplace.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

As organisations recalibrate their approach to office attendance, travel and expenses (T&E) policies are increasingly linked to wellbeing, equity and retention. GIWL’s findings highlight that rigid return-to-office mandates risk undermining diversity, weakening labour market participation, and creating long-term challenges for the UK economy.

Employers should note:

• Flexibility matters: Hybrid arrangements remain the preferred option for most employees, with rigid mandates risking disengagement, resignations and reduced participation.

• Equity of access: Women and employees with caring responsibilities are disproportionately affected, making flexible transport and scheduling options an important consideration.

• Safety and wellbeing: Longer hours heighten late-night travel risks. Employers must ensure secure, reliable options.

• Retention and attraction: With fewer than half of employees now willing to comply with a five-day office mandate, supportive travel policies can be a differentiator in retaining and attracting top talent.

• Implications for diversity: Inflexible mandates risk creating a two-tier workforce, penalising remote workers (often mothers and carers) and undoing progress on diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Economic consequences: Reduced flexibility not only threatens individual wellbeing but also risks weakening workplace participation and national productivity.

• Integrated policies: Embedding wellbeing into T&E programmes demonstrates a clear commitment to employee care while ensuring compliance and visibility.

Key takeaway: Flexibility should be framed as a long-term business strategy rather than a temporary perk. Hybrid and remote working are no longer experimental arrangements but baseline expectations in the modern UK workplace.

ADDISON LEE: SUPPORTING DUTY OF CARE AND CONNECTION

Addison Lee provides a robust solution for businesses adapting to renewed office attendance. With an owned fleet, vetted professional drivers and 24/7 operations, Addison Lee offers a safe and reliable service for late-night travel. Unlike ride-hailing platforms, Addison Lee provides fixed transparent pricing, real-time tracking and corporate account management that ensures compliance, visibility and security. This supports both organisational duty of care obligations and employee peace of mind.

Addison Lee also offers a dedicated Meetings and Events proposition, designed to support companies in bringing teams and clients together at scale. From multi-vehicle scheduling and on-site coordination to nationwide coverage and premium executive travel, Addison Lee delivers safe, reliable and seamless transport solutions that underpin successful corporate events and internal meetings.

ALIGNING PRIORITIES

The debate around return-to-office is not simply about occupancy rates or property costs. It is about reconciling differing priorities: employers seeking productivity, cohesion and culture; and employees valuing flexibility, wellbeing and autonomy. The King’s College London report makes clear that despite media narratives, hybrid working is here to stay. Organisations that frame flexibility as a long-term strategy, supported by policies that reflect equity and duty of care, will be best placed to succeed.

As office attendance continues to rise, Addison Lee is committed to supporting businesses with safe, sustainable and reliable ground transport solutions, from early morning commutes to late-night journeys, and from everyday transfers to complex events. By embedding safety, reliability and flexibility into travel programmes, Addison Lee helps organisations uphold duty of care, strengthen employee wellbeing, and reconnect teams in a changing workplace

Written by Hayley Smith-Pryor (Strategy Partner, Experience)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and cited contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the official views, positions or policies of Addison Lee. Any external contributors (for example, academic experts) are referenced in a personal or professional capacity, and their perspectives should not be interpreted as endorsements by Addison Lee. Addison Lee does not accept responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed in this blog.

Sources:

1. Maya Wilson Autzen, The Telegraph (8 Sept 2025): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/08/london-exodus-over-bosses-call-staff-back-into-office
2. Terina Allen, Forbes (10 Jan 2025): https://www.forbes.com/sites/terinaallen/2025/01/10/the-jpmorgan-memo-ends-remote-work-and-tells-employees-to-return-to-office
3. Office for National Statistics (ONS): https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/homeworkingintheuk/latest
4. Amex Global Business Travel (Meetings & Events Forecast 2025 – Global Outlook): https://experience.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/me-forecast/2025/global-outlook
5. SAP Concur (Global Business Traveller Report 2023): https://www.concur.com/newsroom/article/global-business-travel-survey
6. Deloitte (Wellbeing at Work Survey 2023): https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/human-capital/articles/global-human-capital-trends.html
7. CWT (Global Business Travel Forecast 2024): https://www.mycwt.com/news/pr/2023/cwt-and-gtc-release-2024-global-business-travel-forecast/
8. Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2017/04/a-face-to-face-request-is-34-times-more-successful-than-an-email
9. Global Innovators Alliance: https://www.globalinnovatorsalliance.com/gia-digest/face-to-face-communication
10. King’s College London, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL): https://www.kcl.ac.uk/giwl/assets/return-to-office-mandates-what-is-at-stake.pdf