One in four UK employees surveyed at financial services firms (FSIs) would prefer to work entirely from home in the future, according to new research by Accenture.

The consultancy’s survey of over 1,400 UK financial services employees across banking, capital markets, and insurance found that 24 per cent of workers would prefer to work entirely from home once a full return to the office is possible.

Most respondents - 69 per cent - said that they would prefer to work just two days a week or less in the office.

Less than one in 10 - 8 per cent - would favour a return to 5 days a week in the office.

A flexible working schedule was the number one initiative workers wanted from their employers according to the research, with 69 per cent saying that this would help them adjust to working life post-pandemic.

However, most - 59 per cent - do not know if such initiatives will be offered in their workplace and only 35 per cent are aware of whether their employer will begin offering flexible working.

Overall, Accenture said the research shows a positive employer to employee relationship within the financial services industry.

Nine in ten - 87 per cent - feel that they have the support they need to balance work and other commitments, 25 per cent saying that support has increased since March 2020.

The research comes as many financial service institutions are disclosing their future remote working policies; Nationwide announced it is rolling out a ‘work anywhere’ approach in March, which will enable its 13,000 office-based employees to work from any location in the UK.

In April, Revolut announced it will allow employees to work from abroad for up to 60 days a year, in a move the FinTech challenger said marks the latest step in its agile working strategy.

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