According to a new online poll from the Call Centre Management Association (CCMA), only 2% of UK Contact Centres expect all their frontline customer advisers to be working in a physical office in 12 months’ time, with 98% saying that they expect them to either be working fixed days at home and fixed days in the office, working flexibly between the home and office, or working 100% from home. Â
186 CCMA member organisations took part in the online poll on 14th September 2023.
Despite recent media headlines suggesting that organisations are keen to get employees out of their homes and back into the office, the CCMA poll paints a very different picture. Indeed, it indicates a small change away from 100% office working. In the first poll question (Question #1), 5% of CCMA members said that their frontline customer advisers were currently working 100% in a physical office; yet, in 12 months’ time, just 2% expect them to be working 100% in a physical office (Question #2)
The poll revealed that there isn’t a single hybrid home/office model that suits every organisation – although the arrangement where colleagues come into the office for 2-3 days a week is currently the most popular, favoured by 34% of respondents. The ‘totally flexible’ hybrid working option, and one where organisations expect people in the office at least once per month, are also very popular (Question #1).
The hybrid working picture is expected to change significantly over time, however, with just over half of respondents (51%), expecting people to come into the office for 2-3 days a week in 12 months’ time.
Source: CCMA Members Poll, 14 Sept 23, supported by Sensée (186 participants)