University study shows return-to-office mandates risk disadvantaging

New analysis led by researchers from Lancaster University reveals that five 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 findings are part of an interim report of the largest mixed methods study of disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid work in the UK, which was led by researchers from Lancaster University, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Universal Inclusion, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation.

One in five UK workers (6.64 million) mainly work from home, and analysis shows that nearly a fifth are disabled (1.16 million).

Survey findings of more than 1,200 disabled workers with experience of remote and hybrid working, reveal that working from home had a positive impact on 80 per cent of those in fully remote roles when it came to managing their health. This proportion reduces to 38 per cent for those who work remotely less than half of the time, suggesting that the benefits decline if people are expected to work onsite very regularly.

The study also reveals that 85 per cent of disabled workers surveyed feel that access to remote and hybrid working is very important or essential when looking for a new job.

In addition, nearly one in three disabled workers (30 per cent) who are already working in a hybrid way want to spend more of their work time working at home.

Rebecca Florisson, principal analyst at Work Foundation at Lancaster University said: “Remote work is not an ‘optional extra’ for many disabled workers but is vital to enabling them to get into and stay in work.

“A recent Government study showed that a quarter of those out of work and claiming health and disability benefits state they might be able to work if they could do so remotely.

"Yet recent calls by employers to return to the office overlook the critical perspectives and experiences of disabled workers who now account for almost one in four working age people in the UK.”

Despite the increase in demand from workers, the study reveals that remote and hybrid roles are difficult to come by – and arbitrary ‘return-to-office’ mandates could make things worse.

Researchers examined the roles available to job seekers through the Department for Work and Pension’s Find a Job portal in one month in the UK (8 December 2024 – 7 January 2025) and found 94,827 new jobs were advertised.

However, only one in 26 job adverts had the option of hybrid or remote working (3.2 per cent of the roles were hybrid and 0.6 per cent were fully remote).

A quarter of these roles (26 per cent) were concentrated in London and the South East, with fewer opportunities available for workers elsewhere in the UK.

Florisson added: “This new evidence clearly tells us that if a job isn’t advertised as hybrid or remote, the vast majority of disabled workers who require access to homeworking won’t even apply.

“This may be non-negotiable for them so they can better manage their health and stay in work.

“If employers are shortsighted and ignore the rising demand for flexibility in roles, they are missing out on a vast pool of talent that could benefit their organisations, while further distancing disabled workers from the UK labour market.”

With Office for National Statistics data revealing almost one in four working age people are now classed as disabled, researchers say that if the Government concentrated on just halving the disability employment gap, it would reach its 80 per cent employment target and deliver on its promise to get two million more Britons working.

Dr Paula Holland from Lancaster University, who is the principal investigator of the study, said: “Disabled people have been requesting homeworking arrangements, including as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act, for many years, but this only became the norm when the pandemic hit. Five years on, remote working has become essential for many disabled workers, but one size does not fit all.

“Many of the disabled workers in our study reported that working remotely or in a hybrid way was positive for their job retention, physical and mental health, wellbeing, work relationships, and productivity.

"But autonomy and choice for workers is key. Employers should consider the needs and preferences of disabled workers when planning and implementing remote and hybrid working models, as workers currently face a lottery as to whether they are appropriately consulted before changes are made.

"To start to close the disability employment gap, policymakers and employers must commit to the design of inclusive, high-quality jobs that remove barriers for disabled workers.”

Amongst its recommendations, the study calls on the Government to:

Increase the levels and visibility of remote and hybrid working opportunities, including exploring a legal duty to publish flexible working options in job advertisements
Strengthen disabled workers’ ability to access remote and hybrid work as a reasonable adjustment
Reform the Department for Work and Pensions Access to Work service to support remote and hybrid workers by improving awareness of the scheme, increasing funding and ensuring awards are passported between employers
Overhaul the Disability Confident Scheme and align with the proposed Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, including by providing information on disabled worker employment levels and reasonable adjustment rates.
To read the report – Beyond the office? How remote and hybrid working can help close the disability employment gap – and recommendations in full, please visit the Work Foundation website: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundation/publications/beyond-the-office