Remote work across Europe: Which countries lead the way

The work-from-home wave that swept across the continent during the pandemic hasn’t ebbed away—it’s simply evolved. Europe, with its patchwork of cultures, economies, and working styles, offers a fascinating snapshot of how remote work is taking root differently from north to south and east to west.

According to the latest Global Survey of Working Arrangements (G-SWA), which polled full-time, tertiary-educated workers across 40 nations between late 2024 and early 2025, Europe is full of contrasts when it comes to the remote office. While the global average for working from home stands at 1.2 days per week, the European story is much richer—and, in some cases, surprising.

Remote work champions and stragglers: How European countries compare

So, who tops the charts? The United Kingdom leads among 18 European countries, with workers averaging 1.8 days a week at home—just behind Canada globally. But the UK isn’t the only country where remote work has gone mainstream.

• Finland sits comfortably in second place (1.7 days per week), while Germany follows closely with 1.6 days.
• Portugal, always a favourite with digital nomads, clocks in at 1.5 days per week.
• Hungary and the Netherlands (both 1.4 days) aren’t far behind.

Other countries hover near the global average:

• Czechia, Italy, and Sweden each report 1.3 remote work days a week.
• Romania, Spain, and Austria land exactly at 1.2.

But it’s not all smooth sailing for every European nation. Greece is stuck at the bottom of the continental table with just 0.6 days per week. Why such a dramatic difference?

Why Northern Europe leads in remote work and Southern Europe falls behind

The answers are more complex than just broadband speeds or weather. Dr Cevat Giray Aksoy, the economist behind the G-SWA, points to deep cultural and structural roots.

“Individualism is a huge factor,” he explains. In countries like the UK, Finland, and the Netherlands, there’s a cultural comfort with autonomy and self-management. That’s reflected in both personal work preferences and corporate policies.

But there’s more at play:

• Sector makeup: Nations with more jobs in IT, finance, or consulting—industries naturally suited to hybrid models—see higher WFH rates.
• Pandemic legacy: Places that endured longer or stricter lockdowns often invested more heavily in remote work technology, making the shift stick.
• Commutes and density: Crowded cities with nightmare traffic make the home office even more attractive.
• Management styles: In some southern and eastern European countries, traditional management still leans towards “seeing is believing”—and that means showing up in person.

The curious case of Greece?

Tourism, retail, and hospitality dominate the economy—and those jobs need people on site. Add in lower digital readiness and a more collective culture, and the WFH revolution loses steam.

Nordic remote work divide: Why not all countries are the same

Even among the famously progressive Nordics, differences abound.

• Finland is out front (1.7 days at home).
• Norway and Denmark, by contrast, average just 0.9 days—less than many might expect.
• Sweden sits in the middle at 1.3.

Why? Finnish organisations, especially in tech and public sectors, were early adopters of flexible policies. Their culture prizes work-life balance and employee autonomy. Denmark and Norway? A touch more traditional, at least when it comes to management.

France, Poland, and Turkey: Middle of the Pack

Among Europe’s big five economies, France lags with just one day of remote work per week. Poland (1.1) and Turkey (0.9) show that, across Europe, hybrid working is anything but uniform.

Has Europe reached ‘Peak remote’?

The mad dash to remote work during the pandemic has, perhaps inevitably, cooled. Globally, WFH days dipped from 1.6 in 2022 to just 1.27 in 2025. Europe, too, is settling into a new routine.

But don’t expect things to freeze in place.
“Stability isn’t stasis,” Dr Aksoy says. Tech advances, generational change, and shifting labour markets could all push the numbers up—or down—over the next few years.

For now, the takeaway is clear: Remote work is here to stay, but not everyone’s joining the party in the same way. Where you live, what you do, and how your country views autonomy all play a part.

The future of remote work in Europe

So, will Europe keep moving towards more flexible work—or have we found our balance? That’s the million-euro question.
For workers in London, Helsinki, or Amsterdam, hybrid is now an expectation, not a perk. In Athens or Paris, the office still calls.

But if there’s one thing Europe does well, it’s adapting—so keep an eye out. The next remote work leader could be just around the corner.

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