Flexible working in London: working from home, abroad and anywhere

The rise of flexible working in London

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of flexible working has gained significant popularity, allowing office based professionals to break free from traditional office environments and embrace a more adaptable and location-independent work style. Companies based in London have largely embraced this trend, providing opportunities for professionals to work from home, abroad, and anywhere they choose.

‍

COVID-19 pandemic accelerated flexible working 🧑‍💻

The traditional 9-to-5 office job is no longer the norm as since the COVID-19 pandemic, London has embraced the rise of flexible working. With advancements in technology, changing work dynamics, and a focus on work-life balance, more and more professionals are seeking alternative ways to work that better suit their individual needs.

‍

Most London office jobs offer flexible working 🤸‍♀️

If you work in an office, there is a high chance that your London job will offer flexible working. Whether or not the company offers flexible working will usually be included on the job ad and discussed during the interview. The degree of flexibility will depend on the employer, some offering full flexibility and others mandating certain days in the office.

‍

Embracing Work-Life Balance 🧘

Flexible working allows individuals to have greater control over their work schedules, enabling a better balance between professional and personal commitments. Londoners are increasingly valuing the flexibility to design their workday according to their preferences, whether it's working from home, co-working spaces, or choosing alternative working hours.

‍

Greater job opportunities 🤝

The rise of flexible working has created new job opportunities and expanded career options for Londoners. Freelancers, independent contractors, and entrepreneurs can thrive in a flexible work environment, pursuing multiple projects or building their own businesses. Additionally, companies embracing flexible working attract top talent from a wider pool of candidates who prioritize work-life balance and flexibility in their careers.

‍

Better for saving money 💰

For many people, not commuting to work in central London means saving money on your transport. The average cost of a zone 1-2 return tube ticket is £8, so you can see how it quickly adds up in your favour if you can work from home a few days per week.

‍

Finding a job that allows for flexible working

As we've mentioned, flexible working in London is incredibly common and offered by most office-based employers.

‍

Next Stop London 📍

Our partners at Next Stop London connect you with the best recruiters in town and will help you find a job that offers flexible working. The process is simple;

1. Sign up to Next Stop and give them your details
2. Connect with recruiters in your field and discuss your flexible working preferences
3. Answer your phone or email to confirm your new role
4. Get paid a £50 commission! (yes, you read that correctly)

‍

Job advertisements 📇

Any job advertised should state whether or not the role is open to flexible working as part of the job description. It's also not uncommon for some roles to be fully remote.

‍

Job interviews 👋

In a job interview, be sure to ask about the flexible working policy for the role so that you can decide whether or not if meets your needs. Some roles will be completely flexible allowing staff to choose which days they work in the office and others may have less flexibility with mandatory days. Job interviews are a great time to discuss this.

‍

Agreeing terms 🤝

If you're planning to work flexibly then it's important to agree and understand the flexible working policy before starting your new job. You may also want to agree terms on working abroad with your new company so that you could flexibly work when visiting your family and friends, or working abroad to help stretch out your holiday travels.

Working from home in London

Working from home is the norm in London with many companies being flexible working first, office second.

‍

Home offices 🏡

London is a city that is short on space which poses a challenge to working from home. Housing is expensive and at the same time, London flats aren't very spacious. This means most Londoners combine their home office setup with an existing room such as their living room or bedroom.

‍

Flatmates 👥

There's a good chance you won't be the only one working from home, your flatmates might be as well. This means you will need to coordinate with your flatmates to find spaces where you can work from without disturbing each other.

‍

Equipment 💻

Because it's common for London employers to offer flexible working, many employers will give new employees equipment to help make them more effective when working from home. This may come as either equipment shipped to the employees home, or a budget for the employee to order what they need. Examples include; office chairs, second screens, desks, etc.

‍

Working abroad and elsewhere in the UK

Most London companies who offer flexible working will allow their employees to work from outside the UK for a period of time.

‍

Working in the UK 🇬🇧

So long as you have a valid work visa or British/Irish passport, you will have full rights to work from anywhere in the UK. This means you could arrange to work from different parts of the UK for your London employer offering a great way for you to see more parts of the country. The best thing about this, is that there are no timezone or tax complications for employers.

‍

Working in Europe 🇪🇺

Being able to work flexibly from Europe means your 3 day long weekend in Italy can be stretched into a 10 day trip. There are a lot of Europeans who live and work in London and they take advantage of flexible working to visit their friends and family back home. Even if you aren't from Europe, working flexibly is a great way to spend longer on the continent. The advantage of working in Europe is that there is only an hour or two difference in timezones.

‍

Working further abroad 🌏

Working abroad is a revelation. It might mean you can spend 4 weeks back home with your family instead of 2 weeks. Many companies in London allow for flexible working but if you're planning on working somewhere on a different timezone that is further abroad (eg. Australia), it's very important to understand how much time your employer will allow you to work like this for. Whilst some companies are very flexible in this area allowing international working for months at a time, others may be less so and only allow flexible work from within the European timezones.

‍

Working from anywhere in London

Flexible working doesn't mean you only have to work from home, you can explore the city and get your job done at the same time.
‍

Co-working spaces 👯

London is filled with co-working office spaces. From WeWorks to smaller independent offices, you never have to look far to find one. These co-working spaces will cater for flexible workers but come at a cost (roughly £20 per day) to work there as an individual.

‍

Cafes ☕️

Cafes are a great place to work from helping you to get out of the house and enjoy your barista made flat white at the same time. However, not all cafes allow their customers to work from their business. It's a real pain to order your coffee, find a great spot and pull out your laptop only to find out the cafe doesn't allow laptops, so make sure you ask or check google reviews before settling in.

‍

Public libraries 📚

Public libraries have great wifi and offer a comfortable, quiet place to get some work done. They're free but don't allow people to take calls and talk in open spaces, so it's best to work from a library if you are planning on working silently and don't have calls or zooms to attend.