Eurofound report: hybrid work creates new management challenges across Europe

A new Eurofound report examines how the shift to hybrid work is creating unique challenges for managers around leadership, communication, collaboration, and employee engagement. The report builds on Eurofound’s ongoing research into telework across EU member states and is intended to inform policymaking on sustainable hybrid arrangements.

Eurofound’s data shows hybrid arrangements rose from 35% to 45% of teleworkable jobs between 2022 and 2023, then plateaued at 44% in 2024. Fully remote work declined from 24% to 14% over the same period, confirming that the standard European model has settled on a 2-3 day office week rather than full remote.

The findings are relevant for remote-first companies hiring in Europe, where employee expectations around hybrid flexibility are now firmly established. Managers leading distributed teams across borders face additional complexity – coordinating time zones, navigating different national employment laws, and maintaining team cohesion when colleagues may rarely meet in person.