'Management problem' | Office presence still shapes promotion decisions as flexible working expands, research suggests

Nearly one in three (30%) UK workers believe office presence is rewarded in promotion decisions, according to new research, as the Government moves to strengthen flexible-working rights.

From 2027, employers will be required to accept statutory flexible-working requests that are reasonable and feasible. However, research from HiBob suggests stronger flexible-working rights may have limited impact if the way people are managed, recognised and promoted fails to keep pace.

When asked what is rewarded in promotion decisions, 34% of UK workers cited visibility to senior leadership and 33% pointed to constant availability. Office presence was cited by 30% – the same proportion as revenue delivery.

That perception may also be influencing why people choose to come into the office. More than a quarter (28%) say being more visible to their manager makes office working appealing, while more than one in ten (13%) say they’ve been left out of a key decision because they weren’t in the office.