Employees are shying away from remote working due to fears of missed promotion opportunities and a lack of social interaction, new research has revealed.

A survey of 40 companies employing 50-500 staff, by Durler Consulting, has shown that employees also list envy of others and health and safety concerns as reasons for avoiding home working opportunities.

It was also found that many businesses were against offering home working to their staff because of the perceived disruption to work practices and quick decision-making.

Durler’s Robin Hills said that employers must be aware that any potential disadvantages are far outweighed by the potential benefits: “When surveyed, employers actively promoting home working do so because of the massive impact this has on staff retention.

“Alongside this, many employers are keen to be seen as actively eco-friendly; working from home not only saves staff money but goes a long way to reducing the carbon footprint of a business.”

The research also highlighted that organisations that incorporate home working into their strategies, benefit from costs savings, improved technology and greater productivity.