With an average of one day of teleworking per week, Luxembourg is the bottom of the class in this respect on a global scale, according to the 2022 barometer “BeLux Workforce Preferences” by real estate agent JLL.

On average, working from a location other than one’s office is done 2.3 days a week worldwide. But the disparities are pronounced. In the UK, teleworking accounts for 2.8 days per week.

“Luxembourg put in place very flexible regimes allowing telework during the pandemic. But today, the fiscal framework limits teleworking for cross-border workers, who represent half of the workforce,” said Emna Rekik, head of tenants representation & corporate accounts at JLL Luxembourg.

Employees like teleworking

Looking at the overall data, it appears that “today, hybrid working is becoming a normality and a non-negotiable point.”

The feedback from employees who have the opportunity to work from a location other than their company is positive. 43% of them feel more productive than in the office and 45% just as productive as in the office, according to the real estate agent’s survey of 300 participants in the Belgium/Luxembourg region.

JLL is particularly active in the office segment--where take-up fell by . Its study underlines the importance employees attach to well-being at work and work-life balance.

This aspect is even more pronounced in Luxembourg and Belgium than worldwide. For example, three out of four employees say they want to work in an environment that promotes a healthy, safe and wellness-oriented lifestyle. This compares to 71% globally.

Money does not (totally) make you happy at work

Among the elements that improve well-being at work, respondents cite free daily access to healthy food (52%), followed by travel expenses (40%) and discounts or partnerships with establishments near the office.

“Salary is no longer in pole position in terms of expectations; it is health and well-being that come first,” said Rekik. The study shows that pay comes fourth (at 49%) in the expectations of workers in Belux, behind quality of life (63%), the employer’s commitment to well-being (71%) and the well-being-oriented work environment (75%).

Flexibility has become a decision criterion in job interviews.

Emna Rekik, head of tenant representation & corporate accounts, JLL Luxembourg

This well-being is not only achieved through the infrastructure, but also through the flexibility offered to employees in carrying out their tasks, as a result of the need for a balance between private and professional life.

“Flexibility has become a decision-making criterion in job interviews, and this affects all generations,” added Rekik. She sees these new concerns as an opportunity for companies to create a value proposition for employees, in order to get ahead in an increasingly tight recruitment market.

Only four out of ten employees believe that their employer is of good quality in Belgium and Luxembourg. The study also shows that 18% of recruits are considering leaving the company where they are currently employed.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.