UK Ranked As Europe’s Most Flexible Place For Work, Here’s Why

MyPerfectCV’s Remote Work 2025 report shows signs that the UK certainly has settled into new habits. Between 40% and 44% of adults now work from home in some way, according to the Office for National Statistics. Before 2020, very few had that option and offices were a part of most people’s routines. The change arrived fast, but it has since held firm.

Around 14% now work entirely from home, while up to 28% split their time between the house and the office. The report also shows the UK averages 1.8 days of home working each week, the highest in Europe. Canada sits only slightly ahead. This has changed daily life in a way few expected.

People now organise school runs, errands, chores and deep-work time in a rhythm that used to be impossible. The old idea that productivity comes only from sitting in one building all week no longer lines up with how people actually work.

Who Gets Access To This Freedom?

The report shows that this setup is not evenly shared. Higher earners and those with degrees experience more freedom to work from home. Job type also matters and can be seen with how tech, finance and office-heavy roles have embraced these patterns. Hospitality, transport and healthcare, on the other hand, cannot. The result is a divide between people who can change or rearrange their days and those whose work keeps them rooted in place.

London sits at the top as the report says 51% of its workers have some form of remote or hybrid schedule, with the South East close behind at 47%. These regions hold many high-paying roles linked to finance, consulting and tech, so it is not surprising they offer more flexibility.

This divide shapes people’s daily lives, from childcare options to how long they spend on trains. It has created a visible difference between those with calmer mornings at home and those who must stick to strict travel routines simply to reach work on time.

Is Working From Home Actually Productive?

MyPerfectCV found that between 62% and 67% of home workers feel more productive. They credit quiet rooms, fewer interruptions and no commute. Only 39% of employers agree. That tension runs through households and boardrooms, and it has not faded.

One UK call centre saw a 10.5% rise in output when staff worked from home. They handled shorter, more focused calls. At the same time, Cambridge Judge Business School found a 7.4% rise in the number of meetings. Many of those meetings had poor engagement and more multitasking. Managers point to those sessions as a sign that not everything thrives behind a laptop camera.

The research shows a pattern where tasks that need long, quiet concentration work better at home. Brainstorming and delicate conversations work better in person. This mix has fed today’s common routine of two or three office days a week.

How Is This Changing Towns And Cities?

The Centre for Economics and Business Research says London’s output is overstated by around £8 billion because many staff who work for London-based companies no longer sit in the city. Retail and hospitality spending has pulled away from the centre too. MyPerfectCV estimates around £3 billion now flows into commuter towns instead.

This change has helped the South East and East of England bring in around £7 billion between them in local activity. But the long-promised revival of far-flung regions has not arrived. Hybrid working means most well-paid workers still need to live near trains that reach London in a reasonable time.

Money habits have changed at home as well. A 2024 Bionic study shows the average commute costs £19.10 a day, compared with £9.41 when working from home. That can save roughly £2,400 a year. At the same time, MyPerfectCV found that 86% of home workers pay an extra £47 each week on energy and broadband.

There are personal wins and losses. MyPerfectCV reports that 78% say their work-life balance has improved and 65% feel happier at work. But 80% struggle with blurred boundaries, and up to 39% report back pain and similar issues from makeshift desks.

Where Does This Leave The UK?

MyPerfectCV reports that 74% of UK CEOs have no interest in forcing everyone back full-time. Between 43% and 48% of workers say they would consider leaving their jobs if asked to return five days a week. The compromise taking hold is a steady two to three days in the office.

The four-day week trial has pushed this conversation even further. Organised by 4 Day Week Global and Autonomy, the 2022 experiment found that 92% of firms kept the shorter week, revenue came up 35%, sick days went down 65%, and burnout dropped sharply. Those numbers have strengthened arguments for new ways of thinking about time and output.

Taken together, the findings show a country that has rewritten its day-to-day rhythm. Remote and hybrid work have become normal for millions, reshaping spending patterns, commuting habits, confidence, stress and even where people choose to live.

“Remote work is the new foundation of the modern economy,” said Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MPCV. “The data shows flexibility can fuel productivity and well-being, but only when managed intentionally. The next frontier isn’t about where people work, it’s about how leaders ensure equity, connection, and growth in a distributed world.”