In 2023, Owl Labs produced State of Hybrid Work Reports across seven different countries and markets: US, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Nordics, and Global. From hybrid work to in-office and remote work policies, each report dives deep into workplace dynamics and how employers and employees alike are adapting to ever-changing environments.

A recent survey conducted by Owl Labs, a collaborative technology company, has shed light on a significant shift in employee attitudes towards remote work in the Nordic countries. The survey, titled "The State of Hybrid Work 2023 Report" has gathered insights from 2,000 respondents in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway, and highlights that a staggering 65% of employees in Sweden feel working remotely should be established as a legal right. This reflects the increasing demand for workplace flexibility.

The study further shows that 63% of employees across the Nordics as a whole feel that working remotely should be established as a legal right. The breakdown of support for remote work as a legal right in the other Nordic countries is as follows: 66% of Finnish employees, 63% of Norwegian employees, and 57% of Danish employees. 

Frank Weishaupt, CEO at Owl Labs said: “This shared view of working from home as a legal right across the Nordics signifies a shift in the way employees view their work environment and underscores the importance of work-life balance and workplace flexibility. Employees today don’t want to lose the flexibility that hybrid work has to offer, and it’s now up to the organizations to figure out how to make it work for everyone”.

Hybrid Work and an unwillingness to come into the office

The survey has brought to light on an unwillingness among employees in Sweden, as well as in the rest of the Nordic countries, to work from the office full-time. When Swedish employees were asked what they would do if mandated to work in the office full-time, 42% expressed the intention to begin searching for new job opportunities, and an additional 5% claimed they would consider quitting their current job altogether.

Across the other surveyed countries in the Nordics, the sentiment among employees was voicing similar concerns. When asked what they would do if they were mandated to work in the office full-time, Danes at 49%, Finns at 43%, and Norwegians at 41% would search for a new job. The percentage of employees thinking of quitting their jobs was lower, with Finland at 8%, Denmark at 3%, and Norway at 3%.

Moreover, the report indicated that while 52% of the Swedish respondents currently reported being at the office full-time, only 35% were satisfied with this setup. When looking at all four surveyed countries, 58% of respondents currently reported being in the office full-time, only 20% were satisfied with this setup. 

“The survey's results highlight a disconnect between the preferred work arrangement and the current reality for many employees. Mandating office workers to come into the office full-time can stem from a low understanding of how efficient hybrid work can be when properly set up. Utilize modern collaborative technology and tools. Trust your employees, empower them with the right technical tools, and see productivity rise as happy employees with a better work-life balance do a better job”, said Frank Weishaupt.

Work-life balance is worth a pay cut but many still have side hustles 

The survey also investigated economic considerations related to the evolving work landscape. Among hybrid and remote workers surveyed in Sweden,12% indicated that they would expect a pay increase if they were no longer allowed to work from home due to the additional costs associated with office attendance. The same result, 12%, is shown for all hybrid workers in the Nordics.

Interestingly, 42% of the respondents in Sweden, and almost half of all the respondents in the Nordics (48%) expressed a willingness to accept a reduction of 10% or more in their salary in exchange for a 4-day work week. This finding suggests that employees are seeking greater work-life balance and are open to financial trade-offs to achieve it. 

The survey also shows that 1 in 3 (33%) employees in Sweden have at least one additional job or “side hustle”, with an additional 25% saying they currently do not but would like one. The results from the survey show the same situation in all of the Nordics (34%), with an additional 38% saying they currently do not but would like one.

"The survey findings underscore the economic and societal changes triggered by hybrid work models. The willingness of employees to trade salary for a shorter workweek reflects the growing emphasis on work-life balance and well-being”, Frank Weishaupt continued.

The ‘Coffee Badging’ phenomenon

An interesting finding from the survey is a phenomenon known as ‘coffee badging’, where almost a third (32%) of hybrid workers in Sweden admitted going to the office for a brief period just to "show face", like having a coffee, before returning to the home office. Among all hybrid workers in the Nordics, 38% admitted to “coffee badging”. This practice was particularly frequent among managers (48%).

Frank Weishaupt, CEO at Owl Labs said: 'Coffee badging' highlights the evolving dynamics of hybrid working. The fear of proximity bias is most likely what’s come into play here. Employees want to remind their managers and colleagues that they exist and are an important resource. When setting up a hybrid work environment, inclusiveness and time face to face with each colleague and manager is important, something that easily can be built into a workplace policy”.

Technology and Meetings in the Hybrid Work Environment

The survey reveals that 92% of the Swedish workers have participated in meetings with at least one remote participant. The survey also found that 78% emphasized the importance of good technology while working. 

Challenges related to meeting technology were also highlighted, with 83% of employees in Sweden reporting difficulties seeing people’s faces and therefore missing visual cues and 78% reporting audio issues. 83% of the employees reported that they have lost meeting time due to tech difficulties.

"The importance of technology in facilitating seamless hybrid work cannot be underestimated. Organizations that prioritize effective and inclusive meeting technology will save time and be better equipped to meet the evolving needs of their workforce", Frank Weishaup, CEO at Owl Labs, concluded.

AI and the future

Moreover, the respondents expressed a desire for future technological advancements, with 35% expressing interest in AI or AI assistants, 33% in AR or mixed reality devices, and 24% in improved video conferencing technologies.

About the survey

Owl Labs surveyed 2,000 full-time workers in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, ages 18+, at companies with 2+ employees. This survey data was collected in June 2023 in partnership with the research consultancy, Vitreous World.

For further information, please contact

Jenny Widing, PR for Owl Labs in the Nordics, via Northern Link PR

jenny@nlpr.se