How Remote Work Became a Permanent Pillar of the Israeli Labor Market
A new Globes and Hilan analysis reveals that remote work has become a permanent standard in Israel, driven by family needs, generational habits, and national resilience during emergencies.
The Israeli labor market comprises nearly 5 million workers whose diverse behaviors provide deep insights into employment trends. In the coming months, Globes will publish a series of analyses by Hilan, based on data from hundreds of thousands of employees across various sectors. Remote work has established itself as a standard across the Israeli economy, evolving from a rare necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic into a permanent fixture of modern employment.
The Post-Pandemic Reality and Emergency Resilience
According to Prof. Assaf Avrami, CEO of Hilan and Malam, remote work was virtually nonexistent in 2019, accounting for only 15%-17% of workers and roughly 2% of total work hours. The pandemic radically transformed this landscape, forcing widespread adoption. Once workers experienced the flexibility of remote work, returning entirely to the traditional office model proved exceedingly difficult.
Furthermore, remote work has taken on a dimension of national resilience and business continuity. During security escalations, such as Operation "Am Kelavi" against Iran in June 2025, the share of remote work hours surged to 46%, compared to 27% in December 2024 and 2025. Organizations have learned to maintain operational capacity even when physical access to workplaces is restricted by health or security crises.
Sectoral Divides and Generational Patterns
Remote work distribution varies significantly across industries. The high-tech sector leads the economy, with 35% of weekly hours performed remotely, followed by medical development (29%), financial institutions (23%), and telecommunications (20%). Conversely, sectors requiring physical presence show minimal remote work, such as security (1%), healthcare (8%), and government or local authorities (7%).
Generational analysis reveals that remote work is not solely the domain of the youngest employees. Generation Z (born 1997-2012) records 31% of hours worked from home, while Generation Y leads with 45%, and Generation X follows closely at 41%. Baby Boomers register 31%.
"For younger employees, social interactions are essential for building connections with colleagues and opinion leaders, facilitating informal learning, and gaining organizational exposure," noted Prof. Assaf Avrami.
The Impact of Family Life
Family needs heavily influence hybrid work models. Married employees work from home slightly more (29%) than single workers (25%). Employees without young children perform 24% of their hours remotely, compared to 30%-34% for parents with children under the age of 11.
Prof. Assaf Avrami observed that "parenthood shapes the structure of the workweek, not just remote work itself. Employees with children tend to split their week between home and office, whereas employees without children lean toward extremes of 100% remote or 100% in-office. The hybrid model has become an essential tool for balancing professional demands with family commitments."
