The latest working from home & commuting trends
There’s been a noticeable shift for us here at Accord in October as we’ve said hello to hybrid working, and each other once again.
This month, we’ve moved to a new flexi week in which we spend 2 days in the office and 3 remotely. And what a breath of fresh out-of-home air it has been. But, of course, our hybrid working story isn’t the same as everybody else’s.
Here, our OOH partner Talon reveal their latest WFH and commuting trends and what 2022 might have in store
Working Patterns
In 2020, ONS reported that the proportion of people working from home had more than doubled, with around a quarter of people having worked from home at some point. However, with around 79% of the population now fully vaccinated and all lockdowns lifted, we’re well on our way back to normality.
Currently, over half (56%) of Brits are leaving the house to go to work each week, whether it be full or flexi time. Since the pandemic, flexible working has become more widely accepted and is now being embraced by companies across the country. Indeed, in 2021, almost 4 million Brits have been able to take advantage of flexible working hours so far. But despite the rise in flexible working, a recent study from JCDecaux revealed no significant shifts in rail usage pre/post-pandemic (3.5 days versus 3 days).
Public Transport & Commuting
As expected, working from home during the pandemic resulted in a reduced number of commuters and journeys made on public transport. As different sectors reopened across 2020, recovery was gradual. Retail was the first sector to reopen, with JCDecaux reporting that total impressions of rail D6s were sitting at 22% of pre-pandemic levels. Once hospitality reopened, total impressions increased by 10%, sitting at 31%. With all sectors reopened, total impressions were looking promising at 60% in July 2021.
British Airways’ latest TV ad features very little of the holiday experience itself but instead is centred around the satisfaction and reassurance that comes with booking with BA and their flexible policies. Kuoni, who have cleverly created a ‘travel is on’ message using the middle letters of their brand name, have built OOH and press ads devoted to their Which? Provider status - showcasing proof that listening to customers gets you moving in the right direction.
And Kuoni do practise what they preach. Their Flex system is a new feature that enables users to cancel or change their holidays for any reason up to 35 days before travel. Similar to Kuoni, Black Tomato have created a State of Flex solution, enabling travellers to cancel or postpone holidays free of charge up to 30 days before departure. Both of these brands are great examples of the industry listening and reacting – flexing their offers for the new cautious consumer and doing so with pride.
According to Ada, our DMP, visits to rail and underground stations peak on Tuesdays and Fridays - with Tuesdays seeing the highest levels versus the average. Fridays represent the second-highest levels of visits as consumers use the networks for both commuting and socialising. Not surprisingly, Sundays see the lowest levels of visits, but this is no different to what we saw pre-COVID.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen public transport journeys increase as audiences return to the office. Back in September, TFL reported that rush-hour trips on the tube were up +17% week-on-week - the highest since March 2020. Buses were also busy once again with +39% more rush-hour passengers week-on-week too.
Audience Attitudes Towards Returning to Work & Public Transport
Returning to work is something that the vast majority of Brits are looking forward to, with 74% most excited about human interaction. Collaboration and productivity are also key reasons for Brits returning to the office, with 61% saying collaboration is easier and 73% feeling more productive.
Although video calls have been the backbone of most businesses since the start of the pandemic, Brits are now fatigued and ready for real interactions. 84% believe that face-to-face meetings contribute to stronger, more meaningful relationships and 77% prefer to have the ability to read body language.
Working in the Future
Looking to the future, TFL expects audiences to reach 80% of pre-COVID levels by March 2022. This is understandable, given all that we now know about flexible working. At Talon, we’re also adopting a smarter working approach, consisting of 3 days a week in the office and 2 days at home, allowing for greater flexibility.
As we can see from our own return to the office, people are eager to be back at work seeing friends and colleagues in person again. Office culture, easier collaboration and, of course, maybe a drink at the pub after work bring back fond memories of the office and makes returning even better than we remembered.
Eloise Pates
Contributor
