MOST UK office workers have enjoyed working from home during lockdown but miss the company of their colleagues and are keen to return to the workplace, a new survey has revealed.

The poll by Utility Bidder found that while 86% of workers felt supported by their employer during the lockdown almost two thirds (62%) missed chatting to co-workers and almost half (45%) missed the regular routine of working life.

Millions of UK workers have been forced to work from their homes for the very first time over the past few months during the UK’s Coronavirus lockdown.

Business energy comparison website Utility Bidder surveyed 1,000 office workers who had begun working from home because of the lockdown.

Almost three quarters (74%) said their experience of working from home had been either good or very good, compared to just five per cent who claimed it had been bad and only one per cent who said it was very bad.

Bosses will be relieved to hear that almost half of those surveyed (44%) felt more productive when working from home while almost as many (43%) felt their own personal health and wellbeing had improved during the lockdown.

Almost four in ten (39%) said their time management was better when working from home while more than one fifth (22%) felt the productivity of their team had increased. One in 10 also felt their clients were happier.

However, despite these benefits, a majority of those questioned said they still missed the office with 62% saying they missed their colleagues and 45% missing the routine of office life.

Almost four in 10 people (39%) said they missed the professional working environment while a further 28% missed communicating with others.

The survey also revealed that more than half (54%) of workers said their employer had supported their health and wellbeing while working from home with 12% saying a lot of support had been provided.

Only 13% of those questioned said they had received no support from their employers although 32% said they would have liked more.

Despite this, the crisis has led to many fearing for their future with a majority of those surveyed admitting to some anxiety over job uncertainty.

Almost one-fifth of the office workers said options over home working would be a factor in future job choice with 11% saying it was a factor already and eight per cent saying it definitely would be from now on.