The pandemic period was a strange time for many reasons, but for all the negatives, the one thing that made it better for a huge amount of people was the way they worked.
The immediate shift to remote working was one of the biggest changes. Consider that in 2019 only 4.7% of UK employees worked from home––but by April of 2020, 46.6% of employees did at least part of their job from home, and for 86%, and this was specifically because of the pandemic.
Another seismic shift in the world of work also happened as a result of the pandemic. When you’re sheltering in place, it turns out that you do a lot more stuff online. And with in-person interactions at an all time low, things like banking, supermarket orders, fast food delivery and retail all saw huge surges in online adoption.
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Despite furloughs elsewhere, for tech companies, this was a time of plenty. And it trickled down: more demand from end users meant more jobs were created, and the labour market was a good place to be.
In January-March 2022, for example, redundancies were below pre-pandemic levels, with job vacancies experiencing record highs, according to official information.
It led to what has been called the ‘great resignation’ and in the UK this peaked in early 2022, when 442,000 workers saw an opportunity and hopped to a new role. Additionally, British workers took advantage of a hiring environment which suddenly favoured them.
It’s traditionally more common for there to be fewer roles and more competition among candidates, but the Covid-19 period was unusual in that companies were crying out for talent. So savvy Brits capitalised on this, negotiating themselves into better jobs, expanded tiles, and of course––more money.
While this land of hiring plenty wasn’t to last, and we started to see redundancies towards the end of 2022, what it did really cement in place for many UK workers was that they wanted to work differently.
People began to value other things in, and about, their work.
Meet the ‘big stay’
We’re now experiencing what’s being called the ‘big stay’. This is what it says on the tin: it’s all about sticking around in a secure role with good pay, benefits and conditions.
In tandem with redundancies came the cost of living crisis and soaring inflation. This not only had the effect of making people a bit more cautious about jumping ship, but it also caused a realignment of many workers’ priorities.
Forget pizza parties and post-work beers in the office fridge: now what ticks the boxes when it comes to employee satisfaction are things like commuting contributions, a stipend towards skills development, or bonuses that are linked to performance.
These days, it’s way more important for employees to work for a company that offers them a good salary along with things like a great pension contribution, pay increments, and perks that actively affect their pocket.
Essentially, what workers want in 2024 is job stability with a side of genuinely useful benefits.
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Flexibility is also really important for UK workers. The Pandora’s Box of remote working that opened up thanks to the pandemic showed many people that there is more than one way to get the job done.
And despite the fact that many companies have issued return to the office mandates over the past couple of years, hybrid working is emerging as the way forward.
According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), between 22nd May and 2nd June 2024, only 14% of UK employees worked solely from home, compared to 38% in June of 2020. Those working a hybrid schedule now account for 26% of employees.
For parents and caregivers in particular, flexibility is their biggest workplace want. Having an employer who understands and accommodates this in terms of allowing employees to work the days in office that suit them, and to start and finish at times that match the rest of their responsibilities, is emerging as one of the biggest benefits a company can offer its workers.
Canny companies know this is what employees want, and are happy to step up and offer good pay, benefits and flexibility to workers. And if this is what matters most to you, then it’s no wonder that staying put is the defining workplace trend right now.
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