New research shows UK workers are happier if they’re spending some time in the office every week.
The data from Making Moves shows office workers are now happier going into the office – but not every day. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to many workers either working largely at home, or in a hybrid situation where they go in on set days during the week.
Some business leaders, in particular Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, have been vocal about the need of in-person working. Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, has ordered workers back five days a week from next year.
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Making Moves spoke to 2,000 workers and found:
- Fridays are the most popular day for workers go in
- Just 19.23 percent of people surveyed said they do not feel happy in the office any day of the week
- Just 7.95 percent of Gen Z workers (18-24 year olds) felt the same.
- 80.77 percent of respondents said they feel happiest going into the office at least some of the time.
- The least happy day was Thursday.
- The biggest distraction at home was watching TV, pets, and deliveries.
- 41 percent of the workers surveyed said they experienced anxiety ahead of the working week – often called “Sunday Night Scaries”
Sally Evans, Director of Making Moves, said:
“It’s sad to see that so many office workers express feelings of anxiety at the weekend. As employers, we must create environments where our teams can switch off. My best advice is to lead from the top and show team members that work-life balance isn’t just important; it’s crucial. Encourage your team to switch notifications off at the weekend and be sure to check in with them at the end of the week, reminding them that the weekend is their personal time to enjoy.
“By creating a culture where team members know they can relax and should relax, without worry for the week ahead, you will pay the business back ten-fold, as team members are happier, more rested, and more productive while at work.”
Dr Sanjay Popat, a Chartered Psychologist specialising in occupational stress, well-being and mental health on the topic of happiness in the workplace, added:
“The precise ways in which happiness is thought to influence productivity remain an avenue for future research, but it is theorised to be down to three central mechanisms. Firstly, being in a good mood (i.e. being happy) improves our thinking and processing skills, driving higher efficiency, communication, and creativity.
“Secondly, being happier is likely to lead to greater enjoyment of upcoming tasks, heightening the motivation potential of employees and leading to productivity gains as they are more likely to engage with, and subsequently, complete their tasks. Lastly, a positive mood may well increase social capabilities as people perceive happier employees as more approachable, leading to greater productivity on tasks involving colleagues or customers.”
The report’s conclusion
Making Moves said:
“Our study shows that employers need to be aware that a large proportion of UK office workers are expressing feelings of anxiety at the weekend for the working week ahead, which is especially prevalent in transgender and non-binary respondents we spoke to.
“We also found that after-work socials aren’t as popular as they once were, suggesting that employers should consider different methods for team socials.
“We found that after-work socials aren’t as popular as they once were, which is especially prevalent for office workers based in Northern Ireland due to inadequate public transport links. Financial pressures and the cost of living could also play a role here, as seen in our findings on office lunches, with many office workers believing that employers should provide free lunches.
“Finally, our study found that office workers are most distracted by watching TV while working from home, and Gen Z employees are most likely to nap on the job.”
The full study can be found here.
