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.