Working remotely works too well. And that might be a problem
Did you know that exclusively remote workers were the most engaged at work last year? The conclusion is from the 2025 edition of Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report, which measured employee engagement through the enthusiasm workers feel for their work and their attachment to their team and organization. And here’s the whole data: 31% of exclusively remote workers say they are engaged at work, compared to just 23% of hybrid workers, 23% of on-site remote-capable and 19% of on-site non-remote-capable workers.
Furthermore, the report, which surveyed 227,347 professionals in 160 countries across several continents, including Portugal, found that overall employee engagement fell to 21%, compared to 23% the previous year - which means that 79% of workers don't feel engaged at work.
Shocking, right? But there’s more: in the past 12 years this is only the second decline in engagement recorded (the first one was in 2020), which is a particularly alarming sign for organizations already struggling with productivity. The figures are especially worrying among managers - manager engagement fell from 30% to 27% in 2024.
In this context, as the report notes, it’s also worth pointing out that “if the world’s workplace was fully engaged, $9.6 trillion in productivity could be added to the global economy, the equivalent of 9% in global GDP.”
Regarding the employees’ wellbeing...
... the report concludes it has been declining since its peak at 35% in 2022. When asked to evaluate their life, 33% of the employees say they are thriving in their lives overall, while 58% are struggling and 9% are suffering. Questioned about feeling negative emotions at work, 40% said they had experienced stress in the previous day, while 21% experienced anger, 23% sadness and 22% loneliness.
There are countless factors that influence how we feel - mentally, emotionally and even physically. But since we spend such a significant part of our lives working, the workplace has an outsized impact on our overall wellbeing. It's not just about where we work, but how we work, who we’re surrounded by, and the kind of support we receive throughout the day.
That’s why, at LACS, we go beyond offering a desk and Wi-Fi. We design positive, people-first environments that foster creativity, motivation, and real connection. Whether you're working solo or with a team, our spaces are built to help you feel good, stay productive, and maintain a healthy work-life balance, every day.
But really, what does remote work mean for wellbeing?
So, remote work seems to work - at least for autonomy and productivity. But here's the paradox: Gallup’s report warns that these remote workers are also less likely to be thriving in their lives overall (36%), than hybrid workers (42%) and on-site remote-capable workers (42%), and that they are the ones who experience the most negative emotions at work, being the group that feels the most anger, sadness and loneliness, and coming second in stress complaints (45%, against 46% of hybrid workers)!
This dynamic is easy to understand, really: with greater autonomy and flexibility in managing their schedules and environment, fully remote workers have more control over how and where they work. They can create the conditions that suit them best and are often shielded from the pressures of traditional workplace dynamics, which helps explain why they feel more engaged in their roles and tasks.
However, this flexibility comes with a hidden cost: wellbeing. Without face-to-face interaction with colleagues or the casual social moments that naturally happen in a shared workspace - like coffee breaks, lunches, or spontaneous conversations -, remote workers are more likely to experience negative emotions, such as loneliness, sadness, and disconnection.
But could there be a solution? We believe so: don’t work from home, work from here! At LACS, we’re convinced that remote work doesn’t have to mean isolated work. Our coworking spaces are designed to give remote professionals the flexibility they love, while reconnecting them with community and wellbeing.
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LACS has several spaces in Lisbon, Cascais and Porto, where:
✅ You find all the conditions you need to work, with permanent support to make sure everything runs smoothly
✅ You have several plans at your disposal and can choose the one that suits you best
✅ You're part of a diverse community, where relationships and networking are stimulated
✅ We organize different types of events for a real work-life balance!
Remote work works best when it’s not done alone.
Reach out to learn more and experience the best of both worlds.
The place to be.