The future of work in Uganda: Is it hybrid, remote, or back to office?

The landscape of professional life in Uganda has undergone a structural transformation that is unlikely to revert to pre-pandemic norms. 

While the debate over returning to the office dominates headlines in some global cities, for many Ugandan businesses and employees, the answer is neither fully remote nor strictly back-to-office, but hybrid. 

During the peak of the COVID-19 restrictions, over 82% of professionals in Uganda temporarily worked remotely. 

Even as restrictions eased, this shift proved permanent, with more than 60% of employees continuing to work remotely at least part-time, seeking a better work-life balance and relief from the city’s intense traffic congestion. 

This movement is being driven by both employee desire and a sharp focus on business cost savings.

Driving Forces: Flexibility and Cost Efficiency

For employees, the hybrid model offers benefits, including improved work-life balance and greater control over schedules, which is essential for navigating Kampala’s daily commuting woes. 

For businesses, the motivation is overwhelmingly financial and operational. Studies show that employee desire and cost savings are among the main reasons organisations transitioned to remote work 

This economic pressure, coupled with the rising cost of traditional long-term office leases, has fuelled a major shift away from fixed central business district real estate. 

Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are leveraging coworking hubs in suburban areas like Ntinda and Naguru as flexible alternatives, allowing them to project a professional image without incurring huge overheads.

The Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector is leading the transition, with many firms indicating a complete or near-complete shift to remote work. 

The Education and Finance sectors have also embraced this flexibility, albeit at a slower pace. 

However, reliable connectivity remains a primary challenge. To overcome frequent power interruptions and inconsistent internet access—a reality of the local context—companies must invest heavily in appropriate technology and, in some cases, subsidise data bundles for their employees. 

Organisations seeking to scale quickly, such as NGOs or project teams, are often turning to flexible space-as-a-service models to ensure uninterrupted productivity with robust high-speed fibre and backup power solutions 

The Future is Fluid and Policy-Dependent

As Uganda’s digital economy expands, the hybrid model is becoming less of a perk and more of a competitive necessity for attracting and retaining top talent. 

According to studies by BrighterMonday Uganda, a  significant portion of the workforce considers remote work flexibility an "absolute must-have" when searching for jobs 

The future of work is not simply about where the employee sits, but about defining clear organisational policies. 

Currently, many Ugandan employees are unaware of any formal remote working policies within their organisations 

To maintain productivity and avoid employee burnout from blurred work-life boundaries, the next crucial step for Ugandan companies is to formalise clear guidelines on work hours, collaboration protocols, and data security, ensuring the fluid workspace can truly become a sustainable and productive new normal.

For such insights and if you want to boost your skills and stand out in the competitive job market, you can join BrighterMonday’s Soft Skills training session this Thursday, October 2.