The French approach to work-life balance is often prized by foreigners looking to move here. 

In 2017, the country passed legislation giving workers the ‘right to disconnect’. But, perhaps surprisingly, France has been slow to embrace remote work.

A recent international study, conducted by the British research organisation Centre for Cities, found that workers in Paris spent more time in the office than their counterparts in five other global cities (London, New York, Toronto, Sydney, and Singapore),

Paris workers spend on average 3.5 days a week in the office, compared to 3.2 days in Singapore and 3.1 days in central New York City.

Sydney came fourth with 2.8 days in the office per week, and Toronto and London tied for last place with only 2.7 days in-person.

Paris also stood out among international cities for the change pre- and post-Covid. Before the pandemic, Paris workers spent an average of four days in the office per week, only dropping by 0.5 post-Covid. The authors noted “Paris (…) has maintained much of its office working”.

Other international cities saw larger changes – London and Toronto dropped by 1.2 and 1.3 days per week respectively. 

Paris workers also stood out in their preference to come into the office – the survey found that even without an in-office mandate, Parisian workers would work 1.1 days more than the status quo of 3.5 days a week. Workers in other cities said they would come in less often.

A smaller percentage of people work fully remotely in Paris (five percent, versus 12 and 15 percent in London and Sydney), while a higher percentage of people work fully in the office (almost a quarter of people).

The authors also found that “In every city except Paris, workers come in less than their employer requires.”

Why does Paris stand out?

The study noted policy differences might be at play, particularly travel costs which were far less important to Parisians than Londoners, who noted this as a key reason in favour of remote working.

Workers in France who take public transport can benefit from subsidised travel. Those with monthly travel passes in Paris can claim 50 percent of the cost from their employers. In some companies this is done automatically through wages.

READ MORE: The perks and benefits that employees in France enjoy

What about the rest of France?

Another study from 2023, by the Ifo Institute and Econpol Europe, placed France at the bottom of a global ranking on remote working. Out of 34 industrialised countries, French workers on average spent 0.6 days remote working, lower than the global average of 0.9 days. 

Only three countries were lower than France: Greece (0.5 days), Japan (0.5 days), and South Korea (0.4 days).

The study found that French people overall only desired 1.4 days of remote work per week, a day less than countries like the US and UK.

As for French employers, they were more cautious, only willing on average to offer 0.72 days at home per week. The study’s authors noted a generational difference with young French people (in entry to mid-level positions) more in favour of work-from-home, while older employers were more hesitant.

READ MORE: What are France’s laws around working from home that I need to know?

French office culture and labour protections

The benefits of work-from-home in the US – where workers have fewer protections – may not be as present in France and Europe. 

There are several schemes to help make childcare more affordable. For example, French parents benefit from up the government reimbursing up to 50 percent of the costs of a nanny or professional childminder, depending on their financial situation. 

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: How expensive is childcare in France?

Workers can benefit from vouchers to help make lunch more affordable, and full-time employees get a statutory 25 days of paid leave per year, plus public holidays. And generally, France has a specific office culture, with long lunches and coffee-cigarette breaks still prioritised in many establishments.

READ MORE: What you need to know about French working culture

The 2023 Ifo Institute and Econpol Europe study found that 62 percent of French workers appreciated in-person work for the opportunity to socialise with colleagues.

A total 54 percent said that face-to-face time led to “better team working conditions” and 43 percent said it aided in “a clear separation between professional and private life”.

Will trends change?

It is possible that télétravail could decline further in the coming years. BFMTV reported that agreements negotiated during the pandemic (in 2020 and 2021) by unions would soon expire, perhaps leading to an increase in work commutes.

As such, it will be interesting to see how different sectors approach codifying a right to remote work moving forward.