UK 
United States
Hybrid working is going overseas - with a massive 88% of workers say they are planning to work from anywhere – UK or abroad – this year, new research reveals.
IWG, the world’s largest flexible workspace operator, also found that more than half (57%) of workers planning to extend holidays this year to work abroad, as hybrid working opens new opportunities for employees, with companies are responding accordingly.
Major names from Airbnb to Spotify have introduced work-from-anywhere policies to give employees even more flexibility when they travel.
The new research of over 1,000 workers, undertaken by IWG, reveals that more than three in five (67%) workers agree that they can perform their job effectively abroad and 71% say they would only consider a new job that gave them the flexibility to work from anywhere, at least some of the time.
Improved work-life balance (76%) was the most common benefit cited for working from anywhere. This was followed by being able to spend more time with friends and family abroad (52%), saving money by travelling off-peak (47%) and being able to enjoy longer holidays (30%).
With 3,500 locations in more than 120 countries around the world, IWG empowers people to work wherever is most convenient for them. Its brands, which include Regus, Spaces and HQ, have locations in popular destinations around the world from Barcelona to Barbados and Naples to Nepal.
Almost 9 out of 10 (89%) office workers polled say they are now more likely to work from anywhere than they were pre-pandemic, with 83% saying the adoption of hybrid working by businesses has made it more feasible to do so.
Three-quarters (76%) say they’d be more inclined to work for a company offering frequent ‘flexcations’ as a perk, and 71% would only consider a new role which gave them the flexibility to work from anywhere at least some of the time.
The top locations for hybrid overseas workers were:
Spain
Italy
France
United States
Greece
But with 41% of employees saying that not having an official policy in place was preventing them for working from where they’d like, now may be the time for employers to step up and update their handbooks.
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IWG Founder and CEO Mark Dixon commented: “For an increasing number of workers, the days of the daily commute are over, now that hybrid working offers the opportunity to work wherever we will be the most productive. And thanks to cloud technology, that can be anywhere in the world, provided there’s a high-quality internet connection available.
“So, it’s no wonder that more and more individuals are embracing the idea of combining work with travel, whether it’s for a few days tacked on to the end of a vacation, or a few months as a digital nomad.
“This trend is set to accelerate further, and we will continue to see more and more companies embracing WFA policies to improve employees’ work-life balance and increase their attractiveness as an employer.”
