More Than Half of Colombian Workers Would Choose Hybrid Work

Hybrid work continues to have strong support among Colombian workers, even at a time when companies are once again increasing in-office work, following the widespread adoption of remote work during the 2020 pandemic and the years that followed.

A study conducted by WeWork and Michael Page found that 56.17% of workers in Colombia would choose to combine remote and in-person work if they had the opportunity to decide how to structure their workday.

The result shows that the discussion about the future of work is not limited to choosing between the office and home. For a majority of workers, the most attractive alternative is to maintain a degree of flexibility and divide their time between both spaces.

The trend coincides with a transformation that has taken hold since the pandemic and now coexists with the gradual return of companies to their offices.

More than half of Colombian workers would choose hybrid work

The WeWork and Michael Page study analyzes the trends shaping the workplace experience and shows that the hybrid model continues to be one of the options most valued by workers. In Colombia, 56.17% of respondents said they would choose this arrangement if they could freely decide how they work.

The fact is that, as of today, only 39.66% of workers in Colombia have access to this hybrid model. The preference, however, is related to the benefits workers associate with the ability to alternate between home and the office.

These include greater flexibility in managing their time, reduced commuting — something particularly important in Colombia’s major cities, where mobility can be challenging — and a better balance between work and personal responsibilities.

The results also show that the experience gained during the years of remote work changed employees’ expectations. The office was no longer necessarily the only place where people considered it possible to work productively, while the home became part of a new workplace configuration.

In addition, the hybrid model far outweighs fully in-person work, which is chosen by only 10.44% of participants. Meanwhile, 26.94% would prefer a remote arrangement with optional office attendance, further reinforcing the demand for work arrangements that combine remote and in-person work while prioritizing workers’ autonomy to organize their schedules.

An earlier study by WeWork and Michael Page had already found that hybrid work was highly valued in Colombia: 85.8% of respondents said they felt happier combining work from the office and from home. The company also pointed to benefits related to well-being, productivity, and creativity.

Companies are moving in the opposite direction

Workers’ preference comes, however, as many companies move toward restoring greater levels of in-person work, as was the case before the pandemic six years ago.

In this regard, the latest WeWork and Michael Page study shows that the return to offices has gained ground in Latin America: 48% of workers in the region now work entirely in person, compared with 16% in 2023. Even so, hybrid work remains the preferred option for 54% of workers across Latin America.

The situation presents one of the main challenges for companies: finding a balance between their operational needs and employees’ expectations. In-person work can encourage interaction among teams, relationship-building, and certain creative processes, but flexibility has become an important factor in attracting and retaining talent.

The report also points out that artificial intelligence is changing the workplace landscape — something expected to intensify in the coming years — and forcing organizations to rethink not only their employees’ roles but also how they use their workspaces.

A labor market that is improving but still faces challenges

The discussion about work arrangements is taking place in a Colombian labor market that has shown positive signs. According to DANE, the unemployment rate was 8.1% in July 2026, compared with 8.8% a year earlier. The figure represents a decline of 0.7 percentage points.

The number of employed people reached about 24.5 million, with roughly 578,000 more workers than a year earlier. A significant portion of the increase was concentrated in public administration, education, and health care, sectors that added around 404,000 jobs.

However, the recovery is not uniform. In the 13 largest cities and metropolitan areas, the unemployment rate was 8.5%, slightly above the 8.4% recorded in July 2025. In addition, employment growth was accompanied by a sharp increase in self-employed workers, while private salaried employment grew much more slowly.

This keeps the discussion about job quality open. ANDI has warned that although the decline in unemployment is positive, challenges remain regarding the quality of new jobs and historically high levels of informality.