Impacts of Remote Work change across places, worker profiles, business sectors, and local infrastructures. It affects the geography of work and living, shapes productivity, attract talents, enhance job satisfaction and creativity. Well-being, working and living conditions of workers and families are also influenced by Remote Workers. However, to mitigate potential inequalities and raise benefits, Remote Working needs an integrated policy framework.
The REMAKING project identified three plausible future scenarios.
• Slow-down: weak economic conditions and strong employer bargaining power, limit Remote Work expansion, with most companies enforcing return-to-office policies.
• High-growth: Rapid economic and technological growth widespread adoption of remote-first models, supported by employee preferences and competitive pressure among employers.
• Baseline: A middle ground emerges, with hybrid models becoming the norm, shaped by national, sectoral, and organisational differences across the EU.
A comparison of Remote Work policies implemented across 29 countries revealed different policies on specific issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital nomads' phenomenon, privacy and surveillance protection and the right to disconnect. Policymakers should focus more on establishing flexible minimum standards rather than rigid frameworks and leveraging best practices from national experiences.
The REMAKING team examined geographical data, socio-economic conditions, legislative frameworks and cultural attitudes shaping the Remote Working landscape in 7 European countries.
Overall, our analysis highlights that the implications of Remote Working are multiple, entail several areas of research and different dynamics are entwined. To achieve project impacts, future research is needed to deepen our understanding of the multiple layers and factors shaping the territorial, socio-economic and individual impacts of this phenomenon. Engagement with policy makers, business and society is crucial to raise knowledge and awareness.
