Is remote work on the way out? The short answer: no - not if you look at the statistics. Despite several large employers now tightening their office requirements, it is clear that the hybrid trend remains strong. Here are six points about the current situation in Sweden.
Several employers are currently reviewing their policies on remote work and office presence. One of the most high-profile examples is Volvo Cars, which recently introduced a requirement for employees to be in the office five days a week. The decision has sparked debate, not least because it goes in a different direction from the flexibility many employees have become used to after the pandemic.
But behind the headlines, the statistics show a more nuanced picture, where remote work has become an established part of working life - albeit in new forms and with a clearer framework than before.
Here are 6 things the statistics show about hybrid work in 2026.
1. Almost two days at home a week is average
Swedish office workers work an average of 1.77 days a week from home according to a new report from Ratio. This is roughly the same level as in Ratio's previous survey from 2022. Statistics Sweden's latest survey points in the same direction. There, 46% of employed people aged 20-64 stated that they worked from home to some extent, a marginal decrease from the previous survey period.
So, despite recent reports of an increased return to the office, the figures do not yet show a clear turnaround.
2. Hybrid more common than full-time remote
According to Ratio, slightly more people are working from home once a week, while fewer are working from home all the time. In other words, remote work has not disappeared, but its form has changed. Hybrid work has established itself as the norm.
3. Families with children and women value flexibility particularly highly
People with children work slightly more remotely than people without children, according to Ratio. Women also value the option to work from home more than men. In the group of women aged 36-49, 69% think that remote work is very important.
4. Four out of ten would turn down a job without the option of remote work
Attitudes towards remote work differ between age groups. In the 36-49 age group, the average is 1.84 home working days a week, according to figures from Ratio. In the same group, only 44% can imagine working in a workplace without the option to work remotely. Among people aged 18-25, the corresponding proportion is significantly higher: 81%.
5. Time saved is spent on recovery and family
It is clear that remote working frees up time for other things. A TCO survey shows that one in three white-collar workers saves at least 20 hours of travel time per month by working remotely.
How the time is used differs to some extent. Employees without children spend the saved time on recovery, housework and cooking - employees with children rather prioritize picking up earlier at preschool and after-school care.
6. Managers are more skeptical than employees
Managers do not value remote working as highly as employees without staff responsibilities. In Ratio's survey, only 25% of managers say that the option to work remotely is very important, compared to 35% of other employees.
Moreover, among managers who do not work remote, 68% say it is important to be physically present in the office to be "seen and heard".
Read more: How to Make Hybrid Work Work
What does this mean for you as an employer?
In summary, the figures show that hybrid working (most days in the office and the rest remotely) has established itself as the norm in Swedish working life. At the same time, both needs and attitudes vary across age groups, life situations and roles.
There is also no clear-cut answer to which arrangement works best for everyone. Rather, studies show that the decisive factor is how work is organized. When properly designed, remote working can provide greater flexibility, shorter travel time, increased job satisfaction and more room for recovery. But it can also create challenges - not least around collaboration, leadership and the work-life balance.
In other words, for most employers, the question is not primarily about whether or not to work remotely, but about finding a well-thought-out arrangement - one that balances the needs of the business with the expectations of employees, the nature of the tasks and different individual circumstances.
Some questions to consider are:
- Which tasks work best on-site, and which work equally well remotely?
- Which meetings need to take place physically, and which can work digitally?
- How often does the team need to be together for collaboration, learning and culture to work?
- Should some days be shared office days, or should attendance be managed based on the needs of the team?
- What should be the framework for availability, information sharing and follow-up during the working day?
- How do we take into account different roles, life situations and needs without creating ambiguity?
- Do new or junior employees need special support when working in a hybrid way?
- What support do managers need to lead hybrid teams?
- How do we ensure a good working environment even when working remotely?
- How often should the guidelines be monitored and adjusted?
Time to create a better structure for flexible working?
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