Only 1 in 20 Scots want to work from home

Research shows only one in 20 people in Scotland want to work from home.

A report from Aviva has found Scots have the lowest desire to working remotely across the UK.

This comes as findings published last month found more than half of homeworkers in Scotland have missed social interaction with colleagues since the start of the pandemic .

According to Aviva the desire to work from home is strongest in London, where one in six people intends to find a role that will allow them to work remotely.

Under 25-year-olds are most likely to want to make changes to their work plans in the next few years as a result of the pandemic and are more likely than any other age group to work from home, said Aviva.

One in seven respondents over 55 said the virus crisis has brought forward their retirement plans, while around one in 12 said they hope to turn a hobby into a career.

Gareth Hemming, of Aviva, said: "As the pandemic has continued, an increasing number of people have given thought to what they want from their careers and now three-fifths of people would like to make changes to their working lives.

"For those who plan to become home-workers, it's always sensible to check that they have suitable cover for their circumstances.

"A standard home insurance policy may not be adequate if someone wishes to run a business from their home, particularly if they have stock on site or customers visiting their property.''

Last month, findings from social business Flexibility Works found that 55% of Scots say they’re considering asking for more flexibility when restrictions lift, while more than a quarter (27%) say they’ll definitely do this.

They're running the campaign #FlexforLife to encourage and support more Scottish businesses commit to greater flex for their workers long-term.

Co-founder and co-director of Flexibility Works, Nikki Slowey said: “The pandemic forced many of us to work differently and it’s often been incredibly tough, whether you’ve been working, living and sleeping in one room, or juggling work with home school or caring responsibilities.

"Fortunately, we’ve discovered some unexpected benefits too. Flexing where - and when - we work has helped us to show employees and employers that we can work in different ways, and it has helped businesses continue to deliver for customers despite the pandemic disruption.

“Our Covid experience has undoubtedly changed opinions on flex and our research suggests there will now be greater supply and demand for it on a permanent basis.

"For businesses, this isn’t going to require a revolution because most people only want relatively small changes, such as a bit more working from home, or to amend their start and finish times.

“We’ve seen that our old ‘9-5’ office week is no longer fit for purpose.

"So we’re asking employers to work together with employees to co-create new ways of working. Managers don’t need all the answers, and teams often come up with the best solutions, if you ask them. Flexibility helped us weather the pandemic but now we should embrace it for life."