Research by universities including Southampton reveals that while working from home has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, it hasn't changed where high-skilled workers live. Many still adhere to a hybrid model, remaining close to employment centers such as London. The study found that 29% of high-skilled workers work remotely, with housing needs driving residential changes rather than job opportunities. The belief that remote work could redistribute skilled labor to less affluent regions has not materialized, indicating a need for stronger policies to facilitate genuine residential mobility.
Working from home is now a normal part of working life, with the potential to change where and how people work. It could offer major benefits, giving both employers and workers more choice and flexibility. But to achieve this, we must tackle key obstacles to residential mobility.
It was widely believed that working from home would let high-skilled workers move further from their employers, opening up opportunities for less wealthy areas. But so far, it remains most common among higher earners in a few sectors, mostly near London and other major cities.
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