Remember when COVID-19 forced a grand experiment in the way we worked? Literally, almost overnight, Caribbean organisations pivoted to remote and hybrid models. Five years on, the data and employer sentiment indicate a durable shift, particularly in professional services such as accounting and finance. For example, at Moore TT, the remote and hybrid models have been sustained at different levels of the organisation, with little to no disruption of operations – a transition to another way of effective working. Moore continues to help its clients thrive, regardless of whether work is set up at home, at the office or at the clients’ place of business.
Across the region, employer groups have been cautiously optimistic. The Caribbean Employers’ Confederation has urged companies to lean into flexible work, pointing out that real success comes from mindset and how performance is measured, not just the tools being used. In Jamaica, 2022/23 surveys revealed that 92% of businesses felt work-from-home boosted productivity, but most still favoured hybrid models. Why? Many found online meetings easy to manage, yet struggled when paperwork or patchy internet slowed things down. In Trinidad & Tobago, the Employers’ Consultative Association also reported mixed results, with about half of its members expecting remote work to remain part of their operations. To guide the transition, the TT Ministry of Labour, through its ‘Future of Work’ resources, has shared national guidelines to help organisations put more structure around flexible work.
How does this impact the public sector? While more challenging, hybrid work can benefit government services too. Back-office functions (finance, HR, IT, procurement, customer call centres) can operate remotely. Barbados’ “digital first” civil service policy and Jamaica’s eGov initiatives are examples of early steps. The payoff? Faster service delivery, reduced congestion in city centres, and a modernised public sector that appeals to younger talent. However, hybrid work means investment – and therein lies the conundrum.
There are pros and cons to it all. Who wouldn’t want talent access, reduced overheads, and better work-life balance? At the same time, there is uneven connectivity, cultural pushback, and collaboration frictions to consider.
At the end of the day, the future of work in the Caribbean is still being written. Should governments and employers double down on hybrid, or is a return to traditional in-office work inevitable? What works for you and your organisation?
