New research shows that nearly a third a UK workers believe that office presence, over working remotely, will lead to promotions, despite the continued shift towards hybrid working.

HR technology firm HiBob found that 30% of workers believe being present in the office will be rewarded in promotion decisions, with visibility to senior leadership (34%) and constant availability (33%) deemed the other deciding factors.

13% of those polled reported being excluded from important decisions at work due to working remotely. 

The numbers indicate that many believe that employers see physical and organisational visibility as important factors in career progression.

The findings come ahead of incoming changes to UK employment law, which give employees more access to flexible working solutions. From 2027, employers will likely face stronger requirements around statutory flexible-working requests, although the specific obligations are yet to be laid out and will depend on the final legislation.

The research findings suggest that the impending changes to employment rights could have a limited effect on working culture if employers do not simultaneously reconsider the way they assess performance and make decisions about career progression.

28% of respondants said that greater visibility to their manager was one of the main factors that made working in the office appealing.

Nirit Peled-Muntz, chief people officer at HiBob, said: "The law can – and should – give people the right to ask for flexibility. It cannot change what managers choose to reward.

"If employees believe showing their face in the office matters as much as delivering revenue, that is a management problem. You cannot call yourself a flexible organisation while promotion still depends on proximity, visibility and who happens to be in the room."