A New Social Contract
1st February, 2025
In the years since the global shift to remote work, the role of the office has undergone a radical rethink.
We have moved from a time where less than 5% of UK employees worked from home to a peak of 46%, settling today at a new baseline where 28% of the workforce operates in a hybrid model.
But in 2026, we have reached a turning point. The pendulum is swinging back.
According to a 2024 KPMG survey, 83% of UK CEO’s now expect a return to pre-pandemic office patterns within three years. This is a significant rise from 64% just a year earlier. Business leaders are realising that while remote work proved its viability, it cannot replicate the cultural cohesion, mentorship and spontaneous innovation that happens in person.
However, the workforce has recalibrated. Surveys show that 87% of employees prefer hybrid or remote models, with nearly half willing to take a pay cut to retain that flexibility.
This creates a dangerous tension. The “turning point” for leadership is how to resolve this tension without damaging trust. It must be done not by force, and not by mandate. It must be done by creating workplaces people want to return to.
This report is your guide to navigating that shift. It is about moving from a strategy of compliance to one of compelling engagement.
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