The hybrid system between remote work and face-to-face work continues to win fans in Portugal.

Promoted by Marco, in partnership with Cint, the 3rd Global Consumer Report reveals that 53% of Portuguese workers prefer the hybrid work model, a figure that exceeds the 44% European average.

This is a new increase and shows that remote working, which has entered the lives of professionals with the pandemic, is here to stay.

The data was recently released by the National Statistics Institute: of the nearly five million people in employment, more than a fifth worked from home (always or occasionally) in the first quarter of 2024.

In just one year, a further 68,000 workers have regularly split their working days between the office and home, and there are now a total of 364,000 Portuguese in this situation. The predominant model is one that ensures that workers spend a few days each week working remotely.

Compared to the last three months of 2023, there was an increase of 11%, i.e. 102,000 more people started working from home. Compared to the beginning of 2023, there was an increase of 10%, i.e. 94,000 more people started working from home, according to the ECO accounts.

What is the most popular hybrid work model?

Within the hybrid scheme, the most popular is the one that guarantees that workers spend a few days each week working from home. In total, between January and March, 266,600 workers practiced this system.

At the beginning of 2023, there were less than 200,000 people in this situation, which means that there has now been an increase of almost 35%. Almost 69,000 more people work from home a few days a week than a year ago.

The preference for a hybrid system between remote work and face-to-face work comes as no surprise, given that it had already been signaled in various studies carried out by human resources companies.

According to Hays, “Professionals are showing resistance to accepting new proposals that include 100% face-to-face working models. In cases where it is not possible to opt for a hybrid model (the most widely agreed upon), the way forward seems to be to look for new professional challenges.”

This balance is not easy for companies, but the conclusion is clear: presence in the office is crucial for transmitting corporate culture and fostering an innovative environment, and companies must find a balance between the flexibility of remote work and the collaborative benefits of face-to-face work in order to cultivate a vibrant culture and drive innovation.

Source:

EcoSapo

INE