More companies in Thailand embrace hybrid working

This is according to the latest survey by the property services company CBRE, which shows a similar trend in the majority of Asia-Pacific companies.

Most companies in the region intend to retain hybrid working arrangements even as employees return to the office on the back of easing COVID-19 restrictions, but office life will be different, said Maneerat Vichitrattana, senior director for office services with CBRE Thailand. 

“More office workers are returning to the office in Thailand. However, the return will not be to office life as we knew it pre-pandemic,” she said. 

“Workplace priorities have shifted to support hybrid work, with measures ranging from changing the size and function of office portfolios to implementing new in-office features like hot desking and smart workplace technology. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy for companies; measures can differ across regions, industries and even individual teams in the same company.

“Companies that had previously made plans to adopt full-scale working from home are now reconsidering their options, as a suitable office environment increases collaboration, efficiency, strengthens company culture and contributes to achieving business goals.” 

The survey of more than 150 Asia-Pacific companies by CBRE Research reveals that nearly 60% expect to offer some form of hybrid working, ranging from an equal mix of office and remote working (28%) to mostly office (24%) to mostly or fully remote (5%). 

READ: Thailand approves budget to hire recent graduates and the unemployed

Nearly 40% of respondents expect staff to work fully from the office, up from 26% in 2021. This contrasts starkly with the US and Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where just 5% or fewer companies expect staff to fully work from the office.