The final report of the Work Foundation’s Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study indicates that six years on from the first Covid-19 lockdown, access to remote and hybrid work has become essential to many people who are disabled or have long-term health conditions, enabling them to stay in work.
The study undertook a UK-wide survey of 1,221 disabled people, in-depth interviews with survey participants; and interviews and case studies with human resources professionals, managers and company owners. The study was led by Lancaster University, the Work Foundation, Manchester Metropolitan University and Universal Inclusion – and funded by the Nuffield Foundation.
Most of the disabled people who participated in the study reported a strong preference for continuing to work remotely or in a hybrid way, and positive impacts on their health, employment and personal circumstances. Key findings included:
- 64% of fully remote disabled workers said their work pattern positively affected their physical health, compared to 31% of those working remotely less than half the time
- 46% of participants wanted to work remotely all the time. There was also demand for hybrid working: 25% wanted to work from home four days a week and 27% for three days or less. Only 1.6% wanted to stop working from home
- Women, carers and people with multiple or severely limiting impairments/health conditions were particularly likely to report they only wanted to work from home
- 85% of participants said that having access to remote/hybrid working would be essential or very important if looking for a new job. 79% would not apply for a job without remote options
- Black and ethnic minority workers and less affluent workers were significantly less likely than white or more affluent workers to report remote/hybrid working had positive outcomes for their health and employment.