New research has revealed the UK regions which have benefited the most from working from home (WFH), with people in Scotland and London feeling least positive about the experience. The research was conducted by money transfer experts Xendpay, which analysed the latest ONS data from a study of UK adults in work.
Overall, when asked to assess how working from home had affected them both negatively and positively, people in London had the lowest net positive score out of the English regions. Taking into account all of the UK, only Scotland rated lower than the capital. One in four Londoners (25%) say they have suffered from reduced wellbeing due to WFH, and the capital also had the highest percentage of people - 28% - who say their work life balance has reduced.
In addition, 34% experienced more distractions while WFH in London and 19% were slower to complete work. London also had some of the highest numbers of people who felt that home working made it harder to think of new ideas (19%), and to work with others (49%)
Only one area of the UK has felt more negatively about working from home than London, with 36% of people in Scotland experiencing reduced wellbeing, and 22% reduced work life balance. In total, negative sentiment outweighs positive feelings among Scots, resulting in the lowest score on the index.
People in Scotland have also found it the hardest to focus when WFH in the UK. 38% have experienced more distractions and 20% found they were slower to complete work. Alongside Scotland and London, South West England has had the third most negative WFH experience.
One in five in the region (20%) have suffered from reduced work life balance, and 32% have felt a reduction in their wellbeing. The South West is also home to the highest percentage of people who have found it harder to work with others (52%).
The West Midlands sits at the top of the rankings – in total, 66% of people in the region experienced an improved work-life balance, and 43% had increased well-being. Wales ranks a close second, and has the highest percentage of people who feel working from home improved their work-life balance, at 77%.
The North West placed third overall, with 47% of people noting an improvement in wellbeing. The West Midlands, Wales and the North West have seen the biggest increased focus at work, due to WFH. 57% of people in the West Midlands are completing their work faster, while in the North West, 47% experienced fewer distractions as a result of home-working.
A spokesperson from Xendpay said: “It’s fascinating to see the discrepancies in different UK areas when it comes to people’s experiences of working from home. While many of us have been in this situation for over a year, it’s clear that - when it comes to home-working - not every area is equal.”
The research was carried out by Xendpay, which aims to reduce the cost of international money transfer while maintaining the best possible customer service. It provides a no-fee international money transfer service to bank accounts, offering exchange rates usually only available to multinational corporations, without compromising on transfer times or reliability.
