PwC Research: Hybrid Working is the New Normal

Diegem, 2 September 2024 - Those who can telework primarily do so in a hybrid manner. This trend is visible worldwide (58%), but is even more pronounced in Belgium. No less than 2 out of 3 Belgian teleworkers (68%) work partly at home and partly in the office. This is evident from a global study by PwC, which also surveyed 1,000 Belgian employees. “Flexibility is here to stay, but employees still want to feel involved. Along with learning opportunities, these are the main drivers to keep employees committed to the organization,” says Bart Van den Bussche, Partner, Reward Services at PwC Belgium.

​First this: the number of employees whose job is eligible for teleworking is only half of the total number of workers. This is shown by a global study by professional services provider PwC among 56,600 respondents, of which 1,000 were from Belgium. In our country, 54% of employees cannot telework. For employees in the healthcare sector, teleworking is the least obvious.

​Hybrid work more popular in Belgium than globally

​Worldwide, 58% of those who can telework do so in a hybrid manner. In Belgium, no less than 2 out of 3 teleworkers (68%) work partly at home and partly in the office. This is the same as in Egypt. France and Indonesia occupy the second place worldwide with 70% hybrid teleworkers. Vietnam has the most hybrid teleworkers with 76%.
​In our country, the second largest group of potential teleworkers is barely seen in the office. In Belgium, 1 in 5 teleworkers (19%) work entirely from home or another location (e.g., a coworking space), while globally this is almost 1 in 4 (23%). Finally, there are also potential teleworkers who still work full-time in the office. In Belgium, this is about 1 in 8 (13%), making us less often found full-time in the office than potential teleworkers worldwide (19%).

​Notably, almost half of the respondents indicated that they also teleworked from abroad in the past year, with their supervisor's knowledge. However, Belgians (43%) are more homebound than global respondents (51%). Working from abroad without the knowledge of the supervisor - an emerging practice also called 'quiet vacationing' - turned out to be a marginal phenomenon, with 6% in Belgium and 5% worldwide.

Risk of a less deep connection

“Compared to last year, the study shows a slight increase in teleworkers (46% in 2024, 43% in 2023) and those who work remotely also do so increasingly in a hybrid manner (68% in 2024, 61% in 2023). This points to a newly found balance in the workplace. Companies and employees must adapt to these working models,” explains Bart Van den Bussche, Partner, Reward Services at PwC Belgium.

There are also points of attention. Time management skills are even more important in a world with many stimuli and distractions.

“Being able to maintain focus is essential, and we ourselves notice that recent graduates have more difficulty with this. That is why we organize, for example, focus-training sessions to better equip our employees,” says Liesbet Vanderstappen, Director Human Capital at PwC Belgium. “Additionally, the relationship with colleagues but also with clients requires a different approach due to hybrid working. There is also a risk of a less deep connection between the company and the employee when you are less often in the office. This can then lead to a quicker departure of the employee.”

3 tips to retain staff

​From the study, PwC extracts three recommendations for organizations to retain their staff, which brings efficiency gains. Onboarding new employees takes time, and with the departure of employees, an organization also loses experience.

Support employees through change

​Most employees have a positive attitude. 3 out of 4 Belgians (73%) feel ready to learn new ways of working. 2 out of 3 Belgians (66%) are enthusiastic about learning and growing in their role. But those who do not offer opportunities for staff to further develop risk losing them to companies that do. Development opportunities are cited twice as often as a reason to change employers than as a reason to stay.

Provide recognition through pay and well-being

​Fair pay is an important condition for 8 out of 10 Belgian employees (79%). But only 7 out of 10 believe they are paid fairly. The changing European legislation on pay transparency will pose extra challenges for companies in the coming months and years. Well-being is also a form of recognition and involvement with the organization. However, in terms of well-being, employees report being least satisfied with their management. 58% indicate that the company leadership genuinely cares about employee well-being. Only 56% believe that company leadership listens to its employees and values their insights. Those who want to retain employees must pay the necessary attention to positive leadership that leads to a better sense of well-being among employees.

Adjust your working environment and regulations

​Finally, an adapted working environment is crucial.

“Companies should take into account the large group of hybrid teleworkers when reviewing their company policies and regulations as well as their office spaces,” says Bart Van den Bussche. “We have developed a methodology that allows companies to classify their personnel into four groups based on their job content and the required infrastructure. This enables companies to optimize their office space layout,” explains Bart Van den Bussche, Partner, Reward Services at PwC Belgium.

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