Adecco, a global leader in human resources management, sought insights from companies and employees at both international and national levels. The project, titled “Disconnect to reconnect,” examines how work patterns have evolved since the pandemic and what those changes mean for society and employee well‑being. The study drew on responses from 1,116 workers across 131 global companies in 16 countries, including Spain, focusing on job location, task burden, stress trends, the ability to disconnect, and organizational support for team well‑being.
Disconnect from work
Remote work often lowers stress for workers who enjoy flexible arrangements, compared with those without such flexibility. The central question becomes how individuals can leave their jobs behind and maintain a healthy balance between personal and professional life. This balance underpins satisfaction in both personal and professional domains. Yet, a hyperconnected digital era makes disconnecting more challenging than it was for earlier generations.
According to the Adecco survey, 45% of workers worldwide and 37% of Hispanics continue to work after hours, averaging about three days per week, while 60% report after‑hour work globally.
Moreover, 59% in Spain check emails after hours four days a week, a figure closely mirrored by France (60%) and notably higher than India (85%).
Overtime and stress
The study showed a clear link between after‑hours work and increased stress, with greater difficulty in disconnecting as hours extend beyond the workday.
This pattern has tangible business implications. Employees exposed to higher stress levels are significantly more likely to leave their company within the next two years. Overall, 23% of global respondents and about three in ten Spaniards are contemplating leaving within the same timeframe.
The overarching question is whether organizations are doing enough to safeguard employee well‑being and, in turn, reduce stress and anxiety.
Improve employee well‑being
If the pandemic yielded any lasting benefit, it is the enhanced ability of companies to support employee well‑being. Most surveyed organizations rate well‑being programs as increasingly important for boosting engagement and satisfaction. Yet, when looking beyond time and location flexibility, only about a third of organizations globally and nationally offer concrete initiatives, leaving 45% of global workers and 43% of Spanish workers feeling insufficiently supported in terms of well‑being.
The survey highlights the top three initiatives that workers find most beneficial for well‑being. Globally, flexible work location tops the list, followed by flexible hours and health insurance. In Spain, flexible hours come first, followed by location flexibility, and finally additional days off.
Three key takeaways emerge: 81% of global respondents and 84% of Spanish respondents believe a flexible workspace aids well‑being, 80% value flexible hours, and about 8 in 10 workers in Spain support mental health initiatives. These findings underscore the need for robust health‑care initiatives and better internal communication about them. They also illuminate the link between perceived lack of company support, elevated stress, and intentions to leave within two years.
Changes in the way it works
The pandemic has reshaped how people view work and how companies and employees adapt to remote practices that feel like the new normal. Flexibility in both hours and location remains a defining feature of this shift. Across the surveyed world, about 30% work from home on average three days a week, with 12% in Spain reporting four days a week, a pattern varying by country and region including Canada, Germany, India, and the United States.
Activities to disconnect from work
The Adecco survey identifies the top activities workers use to disengage from work. Globally and nationally, spending time with family and friends is the leading choice (around 41% worldwide and 39% in Spain). Following that, 29% globally choose television or exercise, while 34% in Spain opt for sports. About 27% globally listen to music to unwind, and 27% in Spain watch television. Belgium and Canada show a slightly different preference, with listening to music and exercising playing leading roles, respectively.