HR leaders respond to Farage claims about home working

A number of HR leaders have responded to the comments made by Nigel Farage recently, as the politician said that working from home reduced productivity.

The leader of Reform UK criticised the rise of remote working and stated it was a drain on both productivity and efficiency. This is not a one-off remark either, as his party has expressed scepticism towards flexible working before. During 2025, it stated that local councils it had control of would abandon working from home – on the grounds that it limits accountability and short-changes taxpayers.

Farage’s latest comments on the subject have met with some pushback. Media outlets are reporting that Reform UK is currently advertising jobs that include home-working options. However, the response from prominent HR professionals has been a nuanced one.

Claire McCartney of the CIPD said that organisations and their employees were sometimes at odds on the issue; with the former concerned about productivity while the latter worry about work/life balance.

It is an issue that can be tackled by HR gathering data and feedback across an organisation. That is a big undertaking, but could be handled by outsourced HR services in Buckinghamshire. They will have access to cutting-edge technology to make the work easier.

Kate Palmer from Peninsula told HR Magazine that HR could also ease the concerns of managers about reduced productivity:

“To mitigate this risk, employers should implement processes that allow for the supervision of those working from home.”

She added that a combination of performance reporting and trust were needed to make hybrid working function effectively.