A notable portion of Spanish companies struggle to cover employees’ expenses when they work remotely. Although the law requires firms to provide a financial or in-kind bonus, a recent report from Adecco and its associated consultancy indicates that about 42.5 percent of remote workers report receiving no payment from their employer. The latest data show that roughly 10 percent of regular remote workers are unpaid for remote work days.
The teleworking law that has been in force since 2021 clearly states that remote work must not create any additional costs for workers. More than a third of employees who work from home at least two days per week, within a standard five-day cycle, are covered by this principle.
Many collective agreements renewed after the regulation took effect already include provisions addressing teleworking costs. For instance, last week the regional employers and the union signed a new scheduling and dispatch protocol in Catalonia, entailing 1.5 euros per remote working day.
Other sectors have established a general obligation to provide essential equipment such as computers, screens, ergonomic chairs, or mobile phones, with some agreements combining both approaches.
The requirement to fund teleworking costs has slowed the uptake of formal remote-work arrangements within many firms and has contributed to a decline in the number of employees who regularly work from home over the past year.
Adecco’s survey, based on 3,992 interviews, shows that three out of four respondents report that their company no longer offers remote-working opportunities, while about a quarter still does. Comparisons with INE data reveal that today roughly 85 percent of companies do not enable home-based work on any day, compared with 71.5 percent during lockdown.
When asked why some firms resist remote work, the Adecco findings show a broad lack of consensus. Among those who oppose, 13.5 percent cite unsatisfactory team performance, 11.5 percent mention higher costs, and 5.7 percent point to occupational risk prevention challenges. A striking 69.2 percent of respondents indicate that they do not discuss the reasons for opposing remote work.
Weak prospects… but hiring continues
Emotions can mislead when measuring economic progress, and a business’s immediate climate does not always reflect the broader productive landscape. This disconnect was evident last summer, when several economic forums forecast a quick exit from a technical recession, only to see the economy resume growth afterward.
Spain remains among the EU nations where the IMF expects higher GDP growth this year, yet the business community often voices pessimism about the near future, according to the latest Adecco data. About 60 percent of companies anticipate worse performance in the year ahead, 32.45 percent expect results similar to last year, and 6.62 percent believe there will be improvements soon.
These expectations influence hiring plans. Overall, many firms expect slower recruitment, but they do not always act accordingly. The Adecco survey finds that 51 percent plan to maintain current headcount, 31.8 percent contemplate hiring in 2023 (slightly up from 2022), and 17.2 percent anticipate layoffs, reductions in force, or pay cuts.
At the core, the mismatch between sentiment and action persists. Although hiring intentions appear cautious, actual hiring volumes depend on evolving economic and regulatory conditions. The conversation continues as firms balance the need to contain costs with the demand for flexible work arrangements, which remains a factor in attracting and retaining talent across Spain and beyond.[Adecco]