A survey by trade union federation FNV has found that just 10% of its members who work in the financial sector, business services and the civil service want to return to the office full time, now the pandemic is almost over.

And one in five people say they only want to work at home from now on, the survey of 5,300 union members found.

‘About half the workforce were working at home during the coronavirus pandemic and they have not yet had enough,’ FNV deputy chairwoman Kitty Jong said. ‘Three in five are actually more positive about it than they were a year ago. And even 65% of the youngsters like working at home.’

However, 77% do back having the legal right to be unavailable outside office hours, as is the case in France, the survey found. The Labour party is currently working on legislation which would anchor this in law in the Netherlands as well.

Several earlier surveys also show that home working is likely to become the norm for more people. For example, over half of Dutch employers expect working from home will remain part of the job, combined with two or three days at the office, according to a May survey by broadcaster RTL Z.

And amost a third of the pay and conditions agreements currently in effect have clauses about working from home, compared with just 8% last year, according to employers organisation AWVN.

Many pay deals now include compensation for home working, based on calculations published by family spending institute Nibud last year. Nibud estimates working from home costs some €2 in electricity, coffee and toilet paper.

Trade unions have already made agreements with some employers in the finance and public sectors about home working allowances. For example, national government civil servants who work at home are now eligible for a €363 annual payment.