44% of staff now prefer hybrid working arrangements

Almost half (44%) of employees now prefer hybrid working arrangements over office-based and remote models, according to research by communications agency Marco.

Its third annual Global Marco new consumer report, which was conducted in partnership with research technology organisation Cint, and surveyed more than 7,300 participants in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, the UK and USA, also found that almost two-thirds (64%) of employees would work for an organisation that does not offer hybrid work options,

A similar proportion (63%) of British respondents were willing to work for an organisation even if hybrid working is not an option, while 50% of French employees would refuse to work for an employer without the possibility of hybrid working.

Almost half (44%) said they prefer hybrid working over office-based and remote models, 40% want office-based working and 16% prefer full-time remote working. Two-fifths (41%) of British workers demonstrated a preference for hybrid working, while 40% wanted full-time in-person work.

Just under three-quarters (70%) stated that the current work culture or labour laws in their respective countries allow them to achieve a good work-life balance. British employees were the most likely to agree with this, with 77% stating that their work culture or labour laws offer them a strong work-life balance.

Other countries with the most satisfied employees regarding work-life balance included South Africa (77%), France (76%) and Mexico (73%). Just 56% of Portuguese respondents believed that their work culture or labour laws allow them to achieve a good work-life balance.

Carlos García, head of stakeholder relations and internal communications at Marco, said: “Our approach to work culture needs to evolve at the same pace as the society to reach people's demands accordingly. The rise of hybrid work models presents an opportunity for organisations to reevaluate traditional norms and embrace a more flexible and inclusive way of working, while strengthening the internal communication strategies to keep employees engaged and fully motivated.”