Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The United Kingdom has been named the country with the highest number of remote workers in Europe, according to a new study conducted by King's College London, Azernews reports.

British employees now work from home an average of 1.8 days per week, surpassing all other European nations in this regard. Globally, only Canada ranks higher, with an average of 1.9 days of remote work per week.

The study analyzed data from 40 countries. The global average stands at 1.3 days, while some nations lag far behind. In South Korea, for example, the average is just 0.5 days, and in Greece and China, it's 0.6 days. In comparison, France averages 1 day, Germany and the United States both sit at 1.6 days, and Australia at 1.2 days.

One of the study’s authors, Dr. Cevat Aksoy, emphasized that remote work is no longer a temporary solution prompted by the pandemic:

“This is not just a short-term shift. Working from home has become a defining feature of the British labor market. Employees are sending a strong message — they don’t want to go back to the old way of working.”

While the flexibility has been welcomed by many workers, some employers and economists are raising concerns. They warn that prolonged remote work could lead to a decline in productivity, reduced team cohesion, and weaker innovation due to fewer in-person interactions.

Interestingly, the study also found that younger workers and those in knowledge-based industries such as tech, finance, and consulting are the most likely to embrace hybrid or fully remote models. Meanwhile, sectors like manufacturing, retail, and healthcare continue to rely heavily on on-site labor.

This ongoing shift is not just reshaping work habits — it’s also transforming city life, real estate markets, and even public transport systems. With fewer commuters, city centers are seeing reduced foot traffic, while suburban and rural areas are experiencing increased demand for housing and co-working spaces.

The future of work in the UK appears to be firmly hybrid, and the conversation around its long-term impact is only just beginning.