Eurofound: hybrid work creating new management challenges across Europe

Eurofound has published a new research report examining how hybrid work is reshaping management practices, organisational culture, and job quality across Europe. The report, “Hybrid Work: A New Management Challenge,” finds that while hybrid arrangements have stabilised post-pandemic, many organisations are struggling to adapt their management approaches.

The research highlights a tension between the productivity benefits of flexible arrangements and the managerial instinct to default to in-person oversight. Full-share remote work has declined from 24% in 2022 to 14% in 2024, while hybrid has settled at around 44%. Meanwhile, the percentage working entirely on-site has risen from 36% to 41% — suggesting a gradual employer-driven shift back despite worker preferences for flexibility.

The report feeds into ongoing EU policy discussions about the future of work and complements Eurofound’s earlier research on telework regulatory frameworks. For employers managing distributed teams across European borders, the findings underscore the need for deliberate hybrid work policies rather than ad hoc arrangements.