Remote and Hybrid Working in Marketing: Where Are We Now?
Marketing professionals in the UK have benefited from remote and hybrid working more than many other industries. As marketing recruiters, those of us at Brand Recruitment have seen this shift driven by the increasingly digital-first nature of marketing activity, alongside post-pandemic expectations that at least part of the working week will be spent away from the office.
Marketers now enjoy more flexibility in their working patterns than almost any other discipline. This is despite a recent CIM study suggesting marketing is viewed by some as one of the least professional disciplines. At the start of the year, more than 60% of marketers were working from home two days per week or more, compared with around 55% in IT and 50% in the legal sector.
Why Marketing Lends Itself to Flexible Working
There are several reasons for this, largely linked to the nature of the work marketers carry out:
- Digital Tools and Platforms: Marketing tasks such as campaign planning, content creation and data analysis are increasingly digital. Modern software platforms are collaborative by design, meaning marketers can perform many responsibilities just as effectively remotely as they can in the office.
- Focus and Creative Flexibility: Office environments can be distracting. Working from home often allows marketers to concentrate more deeply and maintain creative flow without interruption.
- Fewer External Meetings: Compared with professionals in IT or law, marketers generally have fewer mandatory in-person meetings with clients or external stakeholders, reducing the necessity for full-time office attendance.
The Data: A Dramatic Shift Since 2019
An interesting part of our year as marketing recruiters is reviewing the findings from our Marketing Recruitment Review. In 2019, just 24% of marketers surveyed worked from home at least one day per week. By late 2024, that figure had risen to 89%.
Wednesday emerged as the most common office day, and over half of respondents reported being in the office two or three days per week.
Is the Tide Turning?
More recently, as the job market has slowed and several influential corporations have pushed for a return to office-based working, remote working has become slightly less dominant. Marketers appear marginally less resistant to increased office time than they were previously.
In autumn 2024, 75% of marketers said that any increase in office time would potentially or definitely prompt them to look for a new role. However, a straw poll in March 2025 suggests the “definitely” category has reduced from 34% to less than a quarter.
Redundancies, Leverage and Long-Term Strategy
Marketing has been particularly impacted by redundancies as organisations attempt to navigate challenging economic conditions. Some businesses may see this as an opportunity to tighten working policies and increase office attendance.
More forward-thinking employers, however, recognise the long-term value of autonomy and flexibility. Offering marketers (and ideally wider teams) control over where and when they work can strengthen retention, engagement and overall performance.
Access the Full Report
For a copy of the Brand Recruitment Salary Survey and Marketing Recruitment Review, please email info@brandrecruitment.co.uk.
