By the end of 2023, 39% of global knowledge workers will work in a hybrid model, an increase from 37% in 2022, according to Gartner, Inc.
Only 9% of Global Knowledge Workers Will Work Fully Remote.
In the U.S., 51% of Knowledge Workers Will Work Hybrid, and 20% Will Be Fully Remote.
Human-Centric Design Can Help Alleviate IT Talent Crunch.
“Hybrid is no longer just an employee perk but an employee expectation,” stated Ranjit Atwal, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner. “Many employees began partially returning to the office in 2022, yet the hybrid workstyle will continue to be prominent in 2023 and beyond. To adapt, employers have been implementing a human-centric work design, which includes flexibility, intentional collaboration, and empathy-based management, catering to hybrid employees.”
IT workers, in particular, are more inclined to leave their jobs compared to employees in other roles, seeking greater flexibility, enhanced work-life balance, and better career opportunities. CIOs can improve retention and attract talent by revising their employee value proposition to offer a more human-centric approach.
Gartner defines hybrid workers as those who work in the office at least one day a week, fully remote workers as those working from home all the time, and on-site workers as those working on-site full time without working from home at all.
The number of remote workers is projected to decline year over year, with Gartner estimating that remote workers will make up only 9% of all employees worldwide by the end of 2023 (see Figure 1).
In the U.S., the hybrid work trend will be more significant compared to the global average, with 51% of knowledge workers expected to work hybrid and 20% to work fully remote in 2023.
Human-Centric Design in the Virtual Workspace
Human-centric design necessitates a fresh set of principles, norms, and thinking. Effective virtual workspaces will enhance the ability to hire and integrate employees regardless of geographic location. These workspaces offer potentially disruptive alternatives to in-person meetings (and the associated travel) and existing virtual meeting solutions. Gartner forecasts that by 2025, 10% of workers will utilize virtual spaces for sales, onboarding, and remote work.
“For remote-first or hybrid organizations, fully mature virtual workspaces may replace the office as the embodiment of company culture and become the center of the digital employee experience,” said Christopher Trueman, Senior Principal Analyst at Gartner. “However, employees should not be expected to engage in the virtual workspace for their entire workday. Virtual workspaces should only be used for meetings and interactions that will be enhanced by them, such as brainstorming, product reviews, or social gatherings.”
Hybrid and Fully Remote Work Trends Differ by Country
While all countries have seen an increase in hybrid and fully remote work since 2019, the appeal of these work styles varies significantly by country.
In Japan, employers are more focused on having employees return to the office full-time compared to other countries. As a result, fully remote and hybrid knowledge workers will comprise only 29% of Japan’s workforce in 2023.
In Europe, where face-to-face interaction is still preferred, hybrid work is expected to rise in 2023. In Germany, fully remote and hybrid knowledge workers will make up 49% of the workforce. In the U.K., the number of fully remote and hybrid knowledge workers will also increase, driven by cultural preferences and industry composition.
In the U.S., fully remote and hybrid knowledge workers will represent 71% of the workforce in 2023. Meanwhile, in the U.K., this figure will be 67% for the same period.
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