How Remote and Hybrid Work Is Evolving Across India, Australia & New Zealand in 2026

1. Where things stand today: data-backed snapshots

India’s stance: preference vs reality

We observed that, according to the Great Place To Work India’s March 2026 Voice of India on Return to Office report, 63% of employees currently work on-site—either at a company or client location—while just 22.6% are in hybrid roles and 14.2% fully remote. However, when given a choice, 39.4% would opt for hybrid work, compared to 37.6% wanting fully on-site roles and 23% preferring remote-first arrangements.

India’s hybrid preference catching up

The ACCA’s India Talent Trends 2026 report indicates a strong tilt toward hybrid work in India: 79% prefer hybrid models, and currently 53% of professionals are in such roles—up from 45% last year.

Australia & New Zealand: the office isn't dead yet

In Australia and New Zealand, the Bespoke Careers 2026 Market Report finds that full-time staff average 4.01 days per week in the office. Many employees want two days of work-from-home, creating a gap of around 0.73 days per week—a clear lever for employers to attract talent. CBRE’s 2025 Office Occupier Sentiment Survey reveals that New Zealand companies are pushing for more in-office time, with companies aiming for four days but actual utilization averaging around 3.3 days a week.

2. Emerging trends and regulatory shifts

Hybrid work waning in IT globally

The IT Trends Report 2026 shows a worldwide decline in traditional 50/50 hybrid models. “Mostly remote” workplaces dropped from 30% in 2024 to 23% in 2026, while workplaces where employees spend at least 80% of their time in-office rose from 31% to 51%.

Compliance tightening in ANZ

Employers in Australia and New Zealand are facing heightened scrutiny around flexible work agreements. The Q1 2026 ANZ Workforce Risk Report highlights that decisions on work-from-home need firmer documentation and justifications—it's no longer enough to have a policy; execution matters.

India adopts structured hybrid policies

We noted that Indian firms are moving away from informal arrangements: tools like the CozyHR “Hybrid Work Policy for Indian Companies (2026)” provide frameworks for anchor days, fair proximity management, and compliance with Indian labour norms.

3. What we’re telling clients (employers)

Employers are balancing cost, culture and compliance. In India, the clear appeal of flexibility should inform hybrid policy design—not just scanning preferences, but writing policies that manage fairness and expectation. The rise in contract and hybrid workers presents both opportunity and operational complexity; onboarding processes, equity considerations and manager training must align accordingly.

Across Australia and New Zealand, offering just one extra work-from-home day could be a visible advantage in talent attraction, given the 0.7-day mismatch between client mandates and candidate preference. However, we caution that flexible agreements must be well documented and defensible—to guard against workforce risk and ensure procedural fairness.

4. What we’re telling candidates (job seekers)

For candidates, knowing that hybrid remains the preferred model in India—despite predominately on-site roles—is vital. When interviewing, ask not only about current expectations, but whether flexible days are formalised in policy throughout the organisation, or decided piecemeal by managers.

In Australia and New Zealand, candidates should be realistic: many roles still expect ~4 in-office days. But those extra WFH days may be negotiable, especially in a competitive hiring landscape. Propose this as part of total reward, noting that remote work doesn't guarantee working from anywhere indefinitely—it still requires alignment with culture and operational needs.

5. What’s next—and how we’re preparing

• For our clients: We’re helping draft clear hybrid work policies—specifying core in-office days, flexibility options and manager guidelines, all compliant with local labour expectations.
• For ANZ clients: We're auditing documentation practices, ensuring every flexible work agreement is recorded, assessed fairly and defensible if challenged.
• For candidates: We're preparing briefing materials to help them evaluate employers’ flexibility policies, know what questions to ask and how to negotiate hybrid arrangements without jeopardising cultural fit.

Remote and hybrid work isn’t static—it continues evolving. At CubicleCompass, we’re committed to surfacing these shifts and helping both our clients and candidates navigate them thoughtfully and confidently.