Londoners planning ‘nomadic working’ summer from UK holiday destinations, new report finds

early half of the London white-collar workforce could be planning a so-called “nomadic working” trip this summer, a new survey has found.

Of more than 2,000 city-based British workers polled by YouGov, 19% said they are considering making the most of their employer having a remote working policy in place this summer by toiling from rural or coastal holiday accommodation instead of at their home desk.

Some of these respondents also said they are thinking about working remotely from family members’ homes in more idyllic settings.

The survey, commissioned by Virgin Media O2, found that Londoners were “especially keen” on the idea of nomadic working, with 38% of capital-based workers surveyed saying they were likely to trade in their home office for an alternative location somewhere in the UK this summer.

Almost three quarters of workers polled told researchers they want the ability to work from a mixture of places going forward, be that at home, the office or elsewhere.

People said they like the flexibility of nomadic working and find they are more productive when getting regular exercise and when able to travel whilst working.

Virgin Media O2 has provided a 4G upgrade to over 31,300 postcodes in 2021 in anticipation of the trend, including at top tourist areas since last summer, including Bognor Regis and Cambridge, the company said.

Jo Bertram, Virgin Media O2 managing director of business, said that “as we look to upgrade the UK, we have an opportunity to evolve: not just doing things the way we’ve always done them, but through new innovations and technology to boost productivity and efficiency, right across the UK”.

The Government is lifting its work from home guidance on 19 July in England, and is encouraging a “gradual return” to offices for desk-based workers. The Scottish government wants people to continue working remotely full time until at least 9 August, where possible, however.