Exeter named city most fed up of working from home

New research shows employees in Exeter are the most eager to get back to an office in 2021, once lockdown has ended and restrictions ease.

Despite COVID-19 cases skyrocketing in the country, an analysis of search data found employees in Exeter are the most fed up of working from home and are eagerly seeking an escape from their new way of working during the pandemic.

The data, from flexible workspace experts at BizSpace, revealed a 275% increase for people in Exeter searching for terms related to ‘flexible working spaces’ in between lockdowns, compared to the UK-wide increase of just 37.5%. 

To establish where workers most want a change of scene during restrictions, the research took into account August search data, when offices reopened and Brits were urged to return to work, compared to October, when guidance shifted back to ‘work from home if you can’ and many offices closed their doors.

The research, analysing flexible working terms across every UK city, found workers in Exeter, Bath and Preston are the most keen out of all cities to share an office space again, with increases of over 200% in searches.

The full breakdown, including Exeter and the rest of the UK’s cities can be found here.

Commenting on the research, Khalid Aziz, Marketing Director of BizSpace, said: “With UK employees and firms now in a third lockdown, the majority of office workers continue to work from home as their offices remain firmly shut. It is no secret that for many employees, this has taken a toll on their mental health as they continue to feel isolated from their colleagues and family whilst spending their working day alone.”

While some predict working life may return to normal once offices reopen, the data suggests the cities on this list may favour a more flexible approach over a lengthy commute and the traditional office environment.

“The data demonstrates the shift in mentality by many employees who were initially pleased to be working from home on a more regular basis, and have now changed their mind. Moving forwards, we predict employees will seek a mix of home working with stints in a flexible working space, allowing them to adopt a happy medium that is far from the traditional way of working.”

The full research can be found here.