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More than half of workers feel pressure to return to offices despite concerns, report finds

LABOUR is demanding the Tories finally honour their pledge to make flexible working the norm after a survey found that people are struggling to cope with a return to offices.

More than half of workers feel forced to put on a brave face in front of colleagues despite a quarter feeling like they are not coping, according to research from online healthcare provider Lime published today.

Homeworking more than doubled to about a quarter of the workforce last year during the Covid-19 pandemic, but Tory ministers are trying to lure staff back to traditional settings despite stubbornly high infection rates and concerns about “long Covid” health problems. 

The data shows that workers in London are suffering the most, with 40 per cent saying bosses do not provide enough support for their mental health. A similar amount insisted they would start looking for a new job if their employers do not act to support their mental wellbeing.

Almost one in five said they were concerned about their stress being visible to others, while 40 per cent confirmed they feel less resilient in everyday life now than they did before the pandemic.

Young people are bearing the brunt, with 43 per cent of women and nearly half (49 per cent) of men aged 16 to 24 now feeling more vulnerable.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak urged this age group in particular to venture out more today, telling LinkedIn News he would not have developed strong relationships with career mentors if he had carried out internships online via apps such as Teams and Zoom.

Lime founder Shaun Williams said: “The past 18 months has had a huge impact on people’s lives, including on their mental health and resilience.

“The long-term repercussions of the pandemic are likely to be felt for years to come, and it’s important we act now to be aware of and prioritise our mental health.”

Responding to the findings, Labour is calling on ministers to finally introduce their employment Bill, promised in the Tories’ 2019 general election manifesto, to enshrine flexible working in law.

As well as home working, more flexible approaches can include flexitime, job shares and hybrid work patterns.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner stressed that people “want to be able to work flexibly after Covid and the Chancellor seems to be the only person who doesn’t recognise the benefits that flexible working can deliver to workers and employers.”

Parliamentary reporter @TrinderMatt

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