Before nine out of ten (89%) companies have not changed their telework policy for executives in 2025, and 94% are considering maintaining the status quo for 2026, according to this study. Only 9% reduced or eliminated the possibility of teleworking last year, while 2% increased the number of authorized days, according to two surveys conducted in December 2025 among a representative sample of 2,000 executives and 1,000 companies employing at least one executive.
“Beyond a few high-profile cases of large companies reverting their telework policy, it is mainly small and medium-sized enterprises that have restricted teleworking options,” respectively 8% and 10% of them, compared to 5% for mid-sized and large companies, as highlighted by Apec.
“The highly publicized decisions of a few large companies to reduce telework have given the impression of a backward step. In reality, only very few companies are impacted,” stated Laetitia Niaudeau, Apec’s general director, in a press release.
Positive Influence of Telework on Health?
In February, hundreds of employees from the French video game giant Ubisoft went on strike to demand that the company reconsider its plan to return to five days of in-person work per week.
Companies that allow telework are two-thirds convinced that it has a positive impact on quality of work life, while only 9% believe the influence is negative, with 24% stating there is no influence.
Regarding productivity, opinions are more varied: 45% believe telework has a positive impact, 12% see it as negative, and 43% think it has no effect.
As in previous years, executives benefiting from telework remain very attached to it and would be 80% dissatisfied if it were to be abolished, with over half (48%) stating they would consider changing companies if needed.
Apec also notes that 61% of teleworkers can change their workdays each week, with 47% able to do so without their manager’s approval. “Telework is no longer just a perk; it has become an essential pillar of executive status,” says Apec.
“For the majority of companies, reducing telework would present more risks than benefits today, particularly in terms of attracting and retaining talents,” explains Laetitia Niaudeau.
