Europe sees stabilized remote work; hybrid models increasing

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed remote work in Europe, leading to a rise in hybrid work models. In March 2020, many people had to stay at home due to the pandemic, which resulted in an increase in remote work. The EU's Eurofound agency found that during the peak of the pandemic, 23% of the EU workforce was working from home, up from just 14% in 2019. Now, as restrictions have lifted, the percentage of people working from home is stabilizing. Eurostat's 2023 Labour Force Survey shows that 22.2% of EU adults work from home regularly or occasionally, down from over 24% in 2021. This stabilizing trend suggests that remote work is not as likely to decline sharply as many expected after the pandemic. According to Eurofound, the type of job plays a role in remote work possibilities. Fields like IT, finance, and education are more likely to allow remote work compared to sectors like agriculture, construction, and hospitality. Hybrid work arrangements, where employees split time between home and office, are now common. KPMG, for instance, allows flexibility but emphasizes the need for in-person meetings for certain roles. Data from LinkedIn shows that nearly 40% of job postings in Europe are hybrid, while fully remote positions have decreased to around 5%. Companies initially promoted remote roles to attract talent but are now shifting toward in-person collaboration. There's a noticeable gap between what employees want—more flexibility—and what employers offer. The situation varies between EU countries. The Netherlands has the highest rate of remote workers, with 52% working at least part-time from home. In contrast, Bulgaria and Romania have much lower rates. This reflects both the availability of digital jobs and cultural attitudes toward flexible work. Looking ahead, experts believe that hybrid work will likely remain popular. Eurofound's research indicates that desires for remote work have grown since the pandemic, with many seeking to work from home several times a week. However, challenges remain in maintaining strong company culture with employees working remotely. Overall, while the pandemic changed how people work, it also improved communication through technology. Experts predict that remote work will not return to pandemic levels but will adapt to new norms in the future.