A significant shift in Czech work culture is becoming apparent: more people are choosing to work from home on Mondays and Fridays. Tomáš Pavlíček from the job portal Atmoskop.cz confirmed this trend, which is indicative of the evolving expectations of the workforce, particularly among younger employees.
The increasingly popular practice of remote work directly responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, with about 93% of employers now offering this option where feasible. Remote work is especially appreciated by those with caregiving responsibilities and younger employees who enjoy its flexibility. The trend also seems to be that employees concentrate their home office days around the weekend.
The shift towards remote work, especially Mondays and Fridays, is becoming more common even in traditional office-based companies like Shoptet. Martina Suchomelová, a company representative, explains that remote and hybrid work environments have become standard in tech firms since the pandemic.
Employees appreciate remote work, which assists in achieving a better work-life balance. It allows them to schedule team meetings during their office hours and reserve less complex tasks or concentrated work for their home office days. The number of home office days is decided at the team level, considering each team’s preferences and operational possibilities.
The move towards remote work is also being supported by changes in legal frameworks. The Czech labor code now allows employees to claim compensation for the most common costs of working from home. Employers must now pay their employees 4.50 CZK for each hour worked from home, amounting to 720 CZK for a standard 160-hour work month.
In conclusion, the trends suggest that the way we work is changing, with increasing numbers of employees choosing to work remotely at the beginning and end of the week. While this arrangement may not suit every profession, it is becoming an essential part of the modern work culture, providing employees greater flexibility and a better work-life balance.