Ipsos Karian Box has released a new research report highlighting employee experience of hybrid working. Critically, the report provides empirical analysis into the impact that hybrid and remote working are having on employee experience, workplace culture and performance.

The report is based on a survey of a representative sample of 1,400 full-time UK office workers. It found that while most employees do not want to work full-time in the office, spending three days a week strikes the right balance for both workers and their employers.

Key findings from the report include:

• Employees who spend three days a week in the office are more likely to have career development conversations with their manager and generate new ideas.
• Employee engagement is 12 points higher if employees spend 3-4 days in the office compared to working exclusively or mostly from home.
• Those working in the office 4-days a week from their employer’s office experience faster decision making and greater transparency.
• 53% of 18–24-year-olds report feeling always or frequently lonely and learn less critical skills if they work less than three days a week in the office.
• The report also shows that only two in five employees are currently working 5-days a week in the office – with 45% spending a mix of 1-4 days there.

As other studies have shown, employees reported commuting time and costs as the biggest barriers to being in the office more often.

Based on the data, the report recommends that three days a week in the office provides the ideal combination of in-person collaboration, innovation, and career development opportunities while still giving employees flexibility and a work-life balance.

Ghassan Karian, CEO of Ipsos Karian and Box, said: “In the responses to our survey, three days in the office came out as the optimum solution. It strikes the right balance that realises the benefits of office working for both employer and employee, while also giving individuals the ability to think, work and manage their home lives in a flexible way.”

As companies continue to navigate the future of work and hybrid arrangements, this report offers data-driven insights and practical recommendations. It provides a valuable contribution to the discourse, steering senior leadership teams to create the most fulfilling and productive work environment possible.