This trend emerged despite over half (55%) of the workforce facing public transport delays exceeding an hour during their commutes. The Index highlights a concerted effort by businesses and consumers to maximise value for money amidst the escalating cost-of-living crisis.

Launched a year ago, the Movers Index synthesises anonymised and aggregated UK movement data from O2 Motion with national polling results to unearth pivotal behavioural trends. This amalgamation offers a comprehensive view of movement patterns and their influencing factors.

Despite encountering substantial delays and incurring commuting expenses (including lunch and travel) of up to £7,540 annually, a significant shift towards office working was noted in 2023. Fifty-two percent of workers expressed a preference for office-based work, with 39% attending more frequently than in the previous year. This inclination was particularly evident among 18–24-year-olds, 47% of whom increased their office presence. A notable driver of this trend was the discovery that 92% of companies implemented some form of mandatory office attendance policy in 2023, with four in ten organisations reverting to a full five-day office week.

Wednesdays emerged as the most favoured office day for nearly three-quarters (73%) of workers. O2 Motion data indicated a 2% increase in rail commuting from the first to the fourth quarter of 2023. Interestingly, while cities like Cardiff (70%), Sheffield (61%), and Edinburgh (45%) saw significant growth in commuting, London witnessed a 9% decrease in inbound travel. Excluding London, the national commuting increase for 2023 was 24%.

Despite prioritising cost, which was the main concern for 50% of Brits, over one-third (34%) increased their public transport usage to reduce their environmental footprint. However, the Index also highlighted prevalent issues on public transport, such as playing music without headphones (53%), loud conversations (52%), and occupying extra seats (48%).

Brighter months saw an uptick in social activities, with the largest increase in evening trips occurring in April (9%), as people stayed out later. Conversely, evening outings declined in October (-2%) and November (-7%), with a preference for staying home as nights lengthened.

The year 2023 proved beneficial for small businesses, with 70% of consumers keen to support local or small enterprises. Sixty-four percent of Brits prioritised shopping on local high streets, willing to spend an average of 19% more to back local businesses. This trend was driven by younger demographics, with 83% of 18–24-year-olds prepared to pay extra.

O2 Motion data revealed that September saw the highest footfall on high streets, likely influenced by back-to-school shopping, showing a 6% increase in visits. Shopping centres peaked in February with a 4% rise in patronage. However, both shopping centres and high streets experienced significant dips in visitors during the Christmas period, with declines of 16% and 10%, respectively.

Jo Bertram, Managing Director of Virgin Media O2 Business, said: “2023 was marked by pressures from the cost-of-living crisis and inflation, but Brits and businesses adapted, setting trends that are likely to continue in 2024. Our full-year Virgin Media O2 Business Movers Index shows that people defied delays to return to the office in droves, as people rediscovered the benefits of their workplaces and businesses set office day policies. Brits found ways to prioritise their spending and public transport presented a way to get on the move at a lower cost, allowing them to spend more supporting local businesses when they needed it most.   

“As we kick off a new year, reliable and accessible insights are key to enabling businesses to chart the trends from 2023 and make impactful data-driven decisions for the course ahead.”

The Virgin Media O2 Business Movers Index is a comprehensive quarterly report offering the latest insights into UK movement trends for each quarter.