2026 is nearly upon us, and while no one can say for sure what the future holds, we can make a pretty good guess. Over the past few years, we've seen remote work grow into an essential part of business and identified remote work trends that will continue into the year to come.
After all, proper remote work policies can expand talent pools, cut costs, support flexibility, and maintain high productivity, so it stands to reason they'll keep going strong throughout 2026 and beyond. So with that in mind, let's look at remote work trends for 2026 and see what the future has in store.
The Remote Work Landscape in 2026
Remote work was once considered a temporary accommodation; a measure taken when employees needed to work while traveling or sick at home, rather than a permanent way to work. Employees working in the office was both the norm and the expectation, and the term "hybrid work" was all but unheard of.
However, that all changed in the 2020s. While remote work and the technology around it were growing steadily, it took off and became a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has stayed strong ever since.
In that time, employees and organizations began to experience the benefits of remote work. Employees gained the flexibility to work from anywhere, including on the go or from the comfort of home, and found that it helped improve work-life balance and productivity. Employers could also hire from a broader pool, as they were no longer constrained by physical location and could bring in remote talent that would otherwise be out of reach.
Now, businesses find themselves caught in the middle. Remote and hybrid work has proven to be popular among employees and a boon to productivity and efficiency, but there's still much to be said for working in the office. As a result, many organizations are embracing technology to empower employees to work from anywhere, including in the office and on the go.
10 Trends That Will Transform Remote and Hybrid Work
So, what does the future look like for remote and hybrid work? We've analyzed trends, tracked technological growth, and maybe consulted a soothsayer or two, and identified ten key remote work trends for 2026:
Aggressive return-to-office mandates reshape corporate culture
Hybrid work becomes the default operating model
AI-powered productivity tools transform remote workflows
Outcome-based performance models replace time-based metrics
Cybersecurity becomes a top priority for distributed teams
The digital nomad workforce goes mainstream
Remote work hubs and decentralized offices gain traction
Mental health and employee well-being become non-negotiable
Continuous learning and upskilling accelerate across organizations
Sustainability and eco-friendly remote work practices expand
1. Aggressive RTO (Return-to-Office) Mandates Reshape Corporate Culture
Although remote work has proven to be efficient and embraced by employees, many businesses are still pushing for a return to the office. Recent surveys indicate that around 30% of organizations plan to reduce or eliminate remote work in 2026. Yet, they also indicate that hybrid work schedules remain very popular and contribute to employee happiness and retention.
This will undoubtedly lead to some shakeups, as employees may seek new roles that align with their preferred hybrid schedules, and organizations might stop hiring remote employees. In fact, surveys have shown that 76% of workers said they'd quit if they're no longer allowed to work remotely, and 85% of job seekers cited remote work as a primary factor in their search.
While business leaders say the return to office is a matter of company culture and productivity, the shift back to in-person can be even more jarring than the switch to remote work. Organizations will need to discuss the return to office with their employees and find a balance that works for everyone to prevent a turbulent transition.
2. Hybrid Work Becomes the New Standard
That said, the choice between remote and in-office work doesn't have to be all-or-nothing, as hybrid work is increasingly the norm. In a hybrid work model, employees work some days remotely while spending the rest in the office.
Hybrid work can take several forms, ranging from flexible schedules where employees can come and go as they please to set days to work in and out of the office. Around 28% of companies currently require employees to work in the office three days a week, with 13% having four in-office days.
However, those numbers are likely to change in 2026. According to the Resume Builder survey, the number of businesses with four-day in-office requirements will shift to 17%, while the three-day requirement will decrease to around 25%. Yet the same survey showed that 27% of respondents say three days in-office per week is ideal, with 19% preferring two days and 13% preferring four days.
Regardless of its form, hybrid work will certainly be a key factor in the year to come as organizations try to strike a balance between working in and out of the office.
3. AI-Powered Productivity Tools Transform Remote Workflows
Of course, it would be shortsighted to talk about the future without mentioning artificial intelligence (AI). When appropriately applied, AI technology can have a transformative effect on businesses and productivity, so the use of AI-powered productivity tools will continue to grow.
Companies can use AI-powered tools to automate repetitive manual processes and enhance cybersecurity through real-time analytics. For instance, Splashtop AEM (Autonomous Endpoint Management) provides automated OS and third-party patch management, real-time CVE-based vulnerability insights, and policy-driven remediation via Smart Actions, helping IT teams reduce risk and manual workload.
Similarly, productivity and collaboration tools will continue to grow, providing new ways to streamline daily tasks. With these tools, organizations and IT teams will be able to support their remote workforces more effectively, while remote employees will be better equipped to work efficiently from anywhere.
However, investing in AI-powered tools requires due diligence and research to ensure they deliver the benefits employees need, so businesses looking to improve productivity with AI will need to do their research.
4. Outcome-Based Performance Models Replace "Butts-in-Seats" Metrics
With the constant shifts in how we work, performance models and metrics will change as well. For too long, productivity has been measured solely by hours spent in the office, under the assumption that time spent there is productive. But remote and hybrid work have proven that productivity is not dependent on location.
Instead, the classic "butts in seats" metrics will be replaced with outcome-based performance models. With these models, what matters are results, including the quality of the work, goals achieved, and business impact.
What no longer matters is where the employees work and how much time they spend at their desks.
5. Cybersecurity Takes Center Stage for Distributed Teams
Cybersecurity remains one of the biggest concerns for remote employees and teams, and in the coming year, it will gain even more focus.
Cyber threats from hackers exploiting vulnerabilities, phishing scams, and more pose a significant threat to remote employees, who may not always have access to the security tools or resources they need to protect themselves. Fortunately, we've already seen several advancements in cybersecurity tools and solutions designed to protect devices wherever they are.
Here at Splashtop, for instance, we're focused on empowering secure remote work from anywhere with a wide array of security features for remote access, including multi-factor authentication, device verification, granular access controls, and remote connection notifications. Splashtop AEM also helps protect remote endpoints with real-time visibility into known vulnerabilities based on Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) data, paired with automated patching and remediation workflows.
As a result, Splashtop supports organizations operating under security and privacy frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, and HIPAA compliance. As businesses grow to understand the necessity of strong cybersecurity for remote and hybrid employees, this level of security will become increasingly essential in the coming year.
6. The Digital Nomad Movement Goes Mainstream
While businesses may be pushing for more in-office days, many employees will further embrace the "digital nomad" lifestyle, thanks to the growing ease and accessibility of remote work.
The term "digital nomad" refers to employees who work independently from any location, using remote work solutions (like Splashtop's remote access software) to access their work without being tied to an office, home, or any other specific place. Although it traditionally refers to employees who travel while working, today it's more widely applicable to anyone who works remotely, as long as nothing is restricting their location.
So even though more businesses will be pushing for a return to the office, employees who are allowed to work from anywhere will continue to embrace the freedom and flexibility of remote work. Remote work will extend from working from home (or occasionally a nearby coffee shop) to working from literally anywhere, including while traveling, at a local park, or elsewhere.
7. Remote Work Hubs and Decentralized Workspaces Emerge
While digital nomads enjoy the freedom to work from anywhere and everywhere, some employees work best in a workplace environment, even if their company doesn't have an office. For these employees, remote work hubs and decentralized workspaces will continue to grow in value.
Flexible office solutions like WeWork are commonplace, offering rentable office space for remote employees and providing a place to work from when there's no office to go to. Decentralized workspaces and remote work hubs expand on that concept, creating smaller micro-offices in remote locations and regional hubs that allow employees to work together in person without relocating to a large, centralized office.
If employers are to require employees to return to the office, they have the responsibility to ensure that offices are accessible. Remote work hubs and decentralized workspaces enable employees to have an in-office experience even when working remotely, so many organizations that encourage RTO will need to invest in them.
8. Mental Health and Well-Being Initiatives Become Non-Negotiable
Mental health and employee well-being are vital for both employees and the business. Happy employees are shown to be more productive and less likely to quit, so organizations that invest in employee well-being benefit as much as employees do. With many organizations mandating a return to the office, their responsibility for ensuring employees' mental health grows.
Employees value their mental health, and if their employers won't put in the effort to protect employee wellness and well-being, then they're likely to leave.
Organizations must ensure they have initiatives in place to keep their employees happy and healthy, especially if they mandate a return to the office. Remote work has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health, as employees can spend more time with family and less time stuck in traffic or in cold office buildings. Employers requiring an RTO will need to find ways to make up for the difference.
9. Continuous Learning and Upskilling Programs Accelerate
Businesses need to invest in their employees, and that means providing training and upskilling opportunities. This ensures that employees can constantly keep up with technological changes and develop new skills that improve efficiency, productivity, and performance, benefiting both your business and their careers.
In 2026, learning and upskilling programs will continue to grow as businesses look for ways to invest in training and skill development for their teams. These training programs will, in turn, help accelerate growth for those businesses and keep their employees on the cutting edge, whether they're working remotely or in the office.
10. Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Remote Work Practices
Finally, in 2026, companies will continue to embrace the sustainability and ecological benefits of remote work. Remote work can have a significant impact on a company's carbon footprint by reducing travel and decreasing energy consumption in offices. As a result, businesses seeking ecologically friendly practices will continue to invest in remote work and the sustainability it supports.
How Businesses Can Prepare for 2026 Remote Work Trends
Many of these future trends may seem contradictory: while some businesses are pushing for a return to the office, others are embracing the benefits of remote work even further. The reason is simple. While more organizations will return to the office full-time, the majority will still continue to embrace remote and hybrid work, and those businesses will continue to invest in it.
So, how can businesses prepare for these new trends?
First, consider where your business is headed: are you among the 30% who will push for a full return to the office, or the 70% who are finding the right balance for hybrid work? Next, look at the investments and policies you'll need.
Businesses can stay competitive by investing in secure digital infrastructure, setting transparent hybrid work policies, and prioritizing outcomes over hours worked in-office. With the right tools and technology, remote and hybrid employees can work from anywhere with the same ease and efficiency as in-office employees, without the carbon footprint.
However, if you're looking to stay in-office, supporting employee well-being through flexible scheduling and mental health initiatives will be essential. This can also include investing in decentralized workspaces, so employees living far away will still have an office to work from.
Regardless of whether you're focusing on in-office, remote, or hybrid work, investing in employee growth and skill development is a must. If employees don't feel they have room to grow, feel unappreciated, or have their mental health suffering, they'll quickly move on to something better.
Splashtop: Remote Flexibility Meets Enterprise Security
Remote work can be just as secure and efficient as in-office work; all it takes is the right technology. Splashtop makes it easy to work from anywhere, on any device, with remote access technology that lets users seamlessly connect to their work devices from anywhere.
With Splashtop, employees can securely access their work devices, files, projects, and tools, using their devices of choice. This brings unprecedented flexibility and accessibility to remote and hybrid work, as employees never have to worry about their work being out of reach.
Splashtop is also built with security in mind and includes security tools such as multi-factor authentication, granular permissions, multi-level access control, and automatic session logging. All of this is delivered with AES encryption and designed to meet a wide array of industry and government security standards.
Get Started With Splashtop to Lead Remote Work Innovation in 2026
You don't have to choose between remote and in-office work when you can access your work from anywhere. Splashtop is a reliable, scalable, and affordable remote access solution, primed and ready to lead remote work innovation into 2026 and beyond.
It's time to let your employees be digital nomads, work from remote work hubs, or switch between home and the office. With Splashtop, you'll have speed, security, and productivity no matter where you work.
Ready to experience Splashtop for yourself? Get started today with a free trial.
