Hybrid workers are choosing to work in local businesses and libraries to reduce their home energy bills, according to new network data and research from connectivity provider TalkTalk Business.
TalkTalk’s latest Internet Insights report reveals significant year vs. year rises in broadband usage at libraries, coffee shops, pubs and restaurants across the UK. Hybrid working, giving employees the flexibility to split their time between the office and remote working, is likely to be a driving factor. Notable increases include:
- Libraries (+147%)
- Coffee shops (+38%)
- Restaurants (+27%)
- Pubs (+25%)
Research by TalkTalk Business** among hybrid workers found that more than half (52%) have worked from a local venue recently.
Half (50%) of those that have used such alternative venues for work are now doing so for one or two days a week, with further third (29%) swapping home for local businesses or libraries three or four days a week. One in 10 (10%) now work from local venues for the full five-day working week.
Nine in 10 (90%) Brits say they are concerned about the impact of remote working on their home energy bills, with a further 7 percent expecting to start working from a local business or library in the near future.
Reliable business connections
The increase in Brits working from local venues emphasises the importance of connectivity for consumer-facing businesses, with seven in 10 (71%) hybrid workers agreeing that they are more likely to work from a venue with fast, reliable Wi-Fi.
This increase in workers using alternative remote workspaces looks to be benefiting businesses’ bottom lines, with 98 percent of those asked saying they usually make a purchase from the location in which they are working. A staggering 88 percent agree that it is important to support local businesses during the cost-of-living crisis.
Jonathan Kini, Managing Director of TalkTalk, said:
“TalkTalk’s latest Internet Insights report demonstrates why it has never been more important for businesses to offer fast, reliable Wi-Fi to their customers.
“Our latest report also highlights the importance of local businesses, including libraries and coffee shops, in supporting Britain’s ever-growing hybrid working community, which is why TalkTalk Business is working tirelessly to provide them with the best possible connectivity.”
The importance of local libraries
The data also brings the crucial role that libraries play in the communities into focus. Eight in 10 (79%) hybrid workers asked said they are an essential local resource, and 77 percent said that being able to work from local businesses and venues benefits the wider community.
Commenting on the data, Laura Swaffield, Chair of The Library Campaign, said: “It’s great to see TalkTalk adding to the mass of evidence that libraries are well-used, and very much needed. From businesspeople using the workspaces to those who can’t access internet at home, libraries are still hugely valued as physical spaces, and are a lifeline to all kinds of people.
So at a time of difficult spending decisions – with a cost of just 1 percent of local authority budgets – libraries remain an essential investment.”
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
