More than three years after the end of the public health crisis that profoundly altered the labour market, the number of professionals working remotely continues to grow and has reached a new high. According to the latest data, more than 1.1 million workers in Portugal now perform their duties remotely, consolidating a trend that once seemed temporary.
Teleworking, initially adopted as an emergency measure during the pandemic, has become a stable practice in many sectors, especially among technology, financial services and administrative companies. The advantages associated with flexibility, reduced travel costs and a better work-life balance remain the main factors driving adoption.
However, not all workers are fully benefiting from this change. It is estimated that around a fifth of those who work remotely do so only outside normal working hours, often as a supplement or extension of the working day. This phenomenon raises once again the debate about the boundaries between work and rest and the need to strengthen the right to digital disconnection.