‘Free’ heating and post-work gatherings tempting workers back to office – index
The research ‘shines a light on the positive impact that people returning to the office can make to retailers’ according to those behind the index.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Two-thirds (67%) of people say “free” heating encourages them to venture into the office during the chilly winter months, according to an index.
Nearly half (48%) of workers now commute to their workplace five days a week, according to the Virgin Media O2 Business Movers Index.
Nine in 10 (90%) workers have signed up to at least one loyalty programme, with meal deals and coffee deals being the most used.
The quarterly index combines anonymised and aggregated UK movement data from O2 Motion with survey findings.
O2 Motion has been created by the mobile phone network to offer insight into movement trends across the UK.
Whether it's creating eye-catching seasonal campaigns in shops near busy office locations or making sure customers have the best possible in-store experience, retailers have a significant opportunity to get creative
As mobile devices connect to different masts, they create data “footprints” which O2 can anonymise and aggregate to gain a picture of how people are travelling, when they make journeys and which areas they visit.
O2 Motion does not capture international visitors in the UK or children and does not collect GPS data.
The research indicated that Monday and Friday commutes have seen 7% and 5% year-on-year increases respectively.
Mobile data also indicates a rising trend in younger workers aged 18 to 24 staying out after work, with an increase in after-work trips.
The research also indicates that shopping centre visits have increased for people aged 55 to 64 and those 65-plus.
Nearly one in four (24%) people plan to start holiday shopping earlier this year, with a third (34%) intending to buy more affordable gifts, and 32% expecting to take advantage of Black Friday deals.
Some of 2,000 people were surveyed across the UK in October as part of the latest research.
Jo Bertram, managing director of Virgin Media O2 Business, said the index “shines a light on the positive impact that people returning to the office can make to retailers.
“Whether it’s creating eye-catching seasonal campaigns in shops near busy office locations or making sure customers have the best possible in-store experience, retailers have a significant opportunity to get creative when it comes to engaging prospective customers.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.