A Southampton business leader has said that finding the right balance between the flexibility of working from home and face-to-face interaction is "essential".

Norman Armstrong, practice leader for Grant Thornton UK in the Thames Valley and Southampton, said many businesses were embracing hybrid working.

He said: "At Grant Thornton, we believe in empowering our people to make sensible decisions about where and when they work.

"A trust-based approach with clear guiding principles allows employees to deliver high-quality work while enjoying a better work-life balance.

"Implementing a supportive framework helps ensure everyone's needs are met - from businesses and clients to employees balancing family commitments or seeking enhanced wellbeing." 

It comes after data from Grant Thornton UK found the vast majority of businesses in the Thames Valley believe adopting a hybrid working approach has boosted productivity and wellbeing.

The Business Outlook Tracker found that 92 per cent of companies are currently adopting a hybrid working approach.

According to the data, 86 per cent of these companies believe that hybrid working has boosted their people’s productivity, while 82 per cent said that it has positively impacted their people’s wellbeing.