More than a third of employers in the UK have seen an increase in staff working from home compared with 2022, as the cost of living increases, according to a survey from the conciliation service Acas.
Working from home was a necessity during the pandemic lockdowns, but it is increasingly seen as a way to save money, as transport and food costs rise. Many people also took the opportunity to move further out of cities such as London for cheaper properties and now face a more expensive commute as employers ask them to return to the office.
In the Acas survey of more than 1,000 employers, more than one in seven said there had been a significant increase in their staff working from home.
"The cost-of-living pressures are impacting many people and it is unsurprising that over a third of employers have seen an increase in staff working from home," Acas chief executive Susan Clews said.
"For some workers the cost of commuting is eating into their budgets, while for others going to their workplaces saves on home energy costs.
"It's important for businesses to work with staff to agree suitable ways of working for specific roles, taking account of individual circumstances and regularly reviewing arrangements."
Acas said that home or hybrid working can help companies attract and retain staff who value the flexibility of having a choice whether to work from home or go into an office.
"Our new draft code encourages employers to take a positive approach to flexible working," Ms Clews added.
Procrastination yet productivity
A recent study by the printing company TonerGiant found that almost 20 per cent of homeworkers admitted to taking a short nap during working hours and a quarter indulge in some DIY or gardening.
But Stuart Deavall from TonerGiant said productivity tended not to be affected and that a balance of homeworking and going in to an office was desirable.
“Despite naturally having different behaviours when working from home instead of in the office, studies suggest that performance is not impacted," he said.
"There are many clear benefits of the hybrid model for staff too, with other reports indicating that workers adhering to this model are happier employees.”
This week, one of the symbols of homeworking during the pandemic years, the video-conferencing company Zoom, said it would be adopting "a structured hybrid approach".
Zoom has asked its employees who live within an 80km radius of its offices to work on site two days a week.
Home and hybrid working now seem entrenched in the post-pandemic world. Since January, the average weekly office occupancy rate in 10 major cities in the United States has hovered around 50 per cent, according to Kastle Systems, which uses entry-card swipes to calculate the number of staff in offices.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
On racial profiling at airports
Results:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 2,410m | Winner: Bin Battuta, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Al Hayette, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m | Winner: Faatinah, Jim Crowley, David Hayes
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m | Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m | Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Another Batt, Connor Beasley, George Scott
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
Naga
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South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
