Hybrid Work Stabilizes Globally as Office Return Slows

Global remote work is no longer surging nor retreating—hybrid models now define the new norm.

Five years after the pandemic shock, remote work has settled into a durable equilibrium: hybrid arrangements dominate, fully remote has eased from its highs, and many organizations have added one more in-office day without returning to a five-day routine. Across dozens of countries, average work-from-home (WFH) days dipped from 2022 to 2023 and then stabilized in late 2024/early 2025—evidence of a plateau rather than a wholesale reversion to 2019 patterns.

A plateau, not a reversal

Global survey data show paid WFH days averaging about 1.27 days per week in late 2024/early 2025, down from 1.6 in 2022 and 1.33 in 2023, with the most recent wave indicating that the pullback has largely bottomed out. The broad picture is “stickier than expected” hybrid work, not a return to fully on-site norms.

In the United States, government statistics point to the same direction of travel: among those who telework at all, the share doing all of their hours from home fell between early 2023 and early 2024, while partial (hybrid) arrangements became more common—again signaling normalization rather than retreat.

Where remote work is highest—and lowest

Cross-country differences have hardened. English-speaking economies—the US, UK, Canada and Australia—consistently record the most remote days, while much of East Asia remains more office-centric. Long and costly commutes in large metro areas (e.g., London, US coastal cities) reinforce hybrid demand, helping explain why these countries remain at the top of the WFH league tables.

Within Europe, official statistics show continued hybrid adoption. EU data confirm that sizeable portions of the workforce work from home at least occasionally, with many firms institutionalizing remote meetings and flexible arrangements—another sign that pandemic-era changes have been formalized. European Commission

Why hybrid wins: commutes, costs and care

A defining value proposition of remote work is time: rigorous studies estimate roughly an hour or more saved per worker per week on average in the post-pandemic steady state (and far more on days when people actually work from home). Workers reallocate a significant portion of that time to job tasks—and a meaningful share to caregiving—making hybrid especially attractive to parents and primary carers.

The commute link runs both ways. Longer distances and congested routes increase the likelihood that employees negotiate at least some WFH days; meanwhile, sustained WFH can lengthen residential “job-home” distances as people move farther from city centers—further entrenching hybrid patterns.

Who uses remote work? The demographic tilt

Globally, men and women report similar overall levels of WFH, but parents—especially women with children—gravitate toward hybrid to balance work and care. Younger workers, focused on visibility and learning, tend to spend more time on-site than mid-career peers, while mid-career employees in dual-earner households show the strongest, sustained hybrid preferences.

Are stricter office mandates rolling back flexibility?

Some sectors and employers have tightened return-to-office (RTO) rules—what observers dub “hybrid creep,” i.e., nudging requirements from two or three to three or four days in-office. These shifts are visible in high-profile firms and certain public-sector pockets, yet nationwide and cross-country data still show hybrid as the dominant, resilient model. Business Insider

Productivity and performance: what credible studies say

Randomized and large-scale field evidence suggests two-days-a-week hybrid neither harms performance nor retention; in some settings, it improves recruiting, reduces quits and modestly raises measured output. Taken together, these findings underpin why many employers have landed on “structured hybrid” rather than fully remote or fully on-site extremes.

The Germany datapoint—now part of a wider pattern

Germany illustrates the broader trend: remote work remains popular and persistent, but fully remote is less common than at the 2021 peak as office days have crept back. In EU comparisons, Germany’s share of at-least-occasional home working sits slightly above the bloc average—consistent with a Europe-wide steady state of hybrid work.European Commission

What to watch next

Expect incremental adjustments rather than dramatic swings: modest changes to in-office day counts, job-specific tailoring, and continued investment in digital collaboration. Watch for policies on right-to-disconnect, ergonomics and tax treatment of home offices, and for transport and urban planning to adapt to “peak mid-week” commuting. The structural drivers—commute costs, dual-earner households, global talent markets—still favor hybrid equilibrium.

Is the world “going back to the office”?

Not in the 2019 sense. Global WFH days fell from 2022 to 2023 but have stabilized since, with hybrid dominating. Fully on-site expanded slightly in some places, but the overall system looks like a plateaued hybrid.

Which countries lead in remote work?

English-speaking economies (US, UK, Canada, Australia) consistently record the highest WFH levels; much of East Asia remains more office-centric.

How big are the time savings?

Post-pandemic steady-state estimates point to about an hour per worker per week on average (with far larger savings on actual WFH days), portions of which are reinvested in work and caregiving.

Does hybrid hurt performance?

High-quality experimental evidence indicates that two days a week of WFH does not reduce performance, improves retention, and can modestly raise output in some roles—explaining why many firms codify structured hybrid.

Source:European Commission Business Insider