One third of companies in Belgium are considering cutting the number of hours that employees can work from home.
A study conducted by Acerta revealed that 57% of companies in Belgium find the current teleworking formula unsatisfactory, prompting 30.6% to consider reducing how much employees are allowed to work from home.
Four years on from the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, remote working has become commonplace, with most companies opting for a hybrid model of remote and in-person work. In Belgium, 74% of workers currently come into the office at least three days a week.
"After the sudden boost that working from home received four years ago, it is not surprising that the company policies on working from home are being re-evaluated," stated legal expert at Acerta Consult, Ellen Van Grunderbeek.
"Although both employers and employees recognise that working from home has a positive effect on work-life balance, attracts talent and helps to avoid absenteeism, employers are increasingly questioning whether productivity stays at the same level."
However, Van Grunderbeek is confident that "hybrid working will not disappear" despite re-evaluation among Belgian companies, "because employers use it as an asset in times of labour shortages and because it contributes to sustainable employment practices."
Different views
According to Acerta, 41% of workers would like to have more teleworking hours, but only 12.7% of companies agree. Furthermore, while 30.6% of employers want to reduce teleworking, only 5% of employees agree.
That being said, the majority in both camps (57% of employers and 54% of employees) are happy with the typical hybrid model currently in force.
Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the group most interested in reducing teleworking hours. 33% said they were in favour of a reduction and 41% said they would like to see more workers in the office on a structural basis.
The study used data collected from 500 Belgian companies and 2,700 employees, which was weighted to ensure proportionate results.
