We’ve discovered a love for hybrid and flexible working in Europe. Traditionally, like the US, much of the bloc wasn’t really known for its adoption of working from home (WFH) but the pandemic has shifted our attitudes.
According to Eurofound, “The return to the workplace has continued across the EU as public health restrictions were lifted and only 12% of respondents still worked exclusively from home in spring 2022. However, there is a clear preference for teleworking with over 60% of both women and men expressing their preference to work from home at least several times per month, implying that the return has not been entirely voluntary.”
Many EU member states have now adapted existing legislation or created new laws to cope with new and preferred ways of working. In July, the Dutch parliament approved legislation to establish WFH as a legal right, making the Netherlands one of the first countries to do so by law. Below, we take a look at four more countries also responding.
The Right to Request Remote Work Bill is part of the government’s vision to make remote working a permanent feature of Ireland’s workforce in a way that can benefit all – economically, socially and environmentally. In April 2021, public consultation was undertaken with significant engagement from both employer and employee representative groups, and also a review of international best practice. At the moment, the legislation is currently being revised.
