The rise in remote working has led to a generation that is "not doing proper work," according to the former chief of Asda and Marks & Spencer.
In an interview with BBC Panorama, Lord Rose claimed that the increase in home working was contributing to the º£½ÇÊÓƵ economy's "general decline" and causing a drop in productivity, as reported by .
"We have regressed in this country in terms of working practices, productivity and in terms of the country’s wellbeing, I think, by 20 years in the last four," he stated. Lord Rose, a Conservative life peer, boasts a distinguished career in retail, including roles as chairman of Ocado and Marks & Spencer, and CEO of Asda.
His remarks come as several major companies are urging employees to return to office work amid concerns over a productivity slump in the post-pandemic years. Amazon announced a back-to-office policy in September, mandating a five-day office week from January.
Other firms echoing this sentiment include Boots, JP Morgan, Asos and Tesco. Last year, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealed that 40% of º£½ÇÊÓƵ workers were still partially working from home.
Those with a degree were ten times more likely to adopt a hybrid work model than those without qualifications. A recent ONS survey in December found that 26% of respondents had been hybrid-working in the past week, splitting their time between the office and home.
Approximately 13 per cent reported that they were entirely remote, while 41 per cent stated they were completely office-based.
