Uruguay, Latin American Leader in Remote Work

This article was originally published in Spanish on Funds Society .?

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• According to Advice, in January 2021, 12% of job offers in Uruguay featured remote work options, while by January 2022, this percentage had grown to 22%, with the Technology sector accounting for 53% of the offers. ? ?

• The Global Remote Work Index, published by cybersecurity firm NordLayer, ranked Uruguay as the top country for teleworking in Latin America.? ?

• Based on a survey conducted by consultancy firm Mercer, 54.1% of the companies polled did not perceive a negative impact on employee productivity levels from remote work. In fact, 16% believe there has been an increase in productivity.??

The freedom and flexibility provided by working from home are now accessible to many professionals. This work model was already widely used before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, following the health crisis, working from home has become a reality and even an option for professionals in many sectors worldwide, particularly information technology.??

According to data from Advice, the percentage of job offers in Uruguay featuring remote work increased from 12% in January 2021 to 22% in January 2022, where the Technology sector made up 53% of the offers. The two most-hired roles were system engineers and developers. The third most sought-after profile is statisticians or professionals who manipulate and articulate data, followed by UI/UX designers, and the fifth spot is for QA engineers.??

Flexibility and quality of life, among other positive aspects of this model, have gained significant importance in job offers. Professionals are motivated to seek positions in foreign companies for various reasons. Some reinvent themselves to gain more autonomy; others are seeking new employment; and many dream of earning in dollars without leaving their home countries. Additionally, the opportunity to work on challenging projects and use the latest technologies and market trends is a compelling draw.?

Balancing professional and personal lives in the same direction, having more time for oneself or with family, not losing hours daily in traffic, setting one's work schedule, and having a better quality of life are factors driving more workers and companies to adopt this new work pattern.?

However, the profile goes beyond IT specialists. Today, professionals from various fields and roles have the possibility of performing their duties remotely. They are journalists, engineers, lawyers, consultants, publicists, administrators, translators, and researchers, among many others.??

The Global Remote Work Index, published by cybersecurity company NordLayer, ranked Uruguay first among the best countries for teleworking in Latin America and 43rd globally. This positions the country as a regional leader in this work mode, providing opportunities for employers and workers from various sectors, especially in non-traditional services.??

Technology companies from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom are the ones most actively seeking Uruguayan professionals for remote work. The favorable location and time zone convenience facilitate communication and efficiency in remote work, making the country one of the most sought-after.??

According to data compiled by Deel, 52% of professional profiles are between the ages of 25 and 34, while 34% are in the 35 to 44 age range. Additionally, data from Café & Negocios indicates that there was an 86% increase in hiring Uruguayan technology specialists from abroad during the mobile year from July 2022 to July 2023, indicating a growing demand and international recognition of local talent in the technology sector.??

A study by flexible work consultancy Scoop Technologies showed that companies adopting work-from-home policies grow faster. The report includes participation from 554 companies across 20 sectors in the United States, from technology to insurance, employing 26.7 million workers. The revenues of these companies saw four times higher growth (21% between 2020 and 2022) than those opting for the onsite model (an increase of 5% in the same period).??

For Uruguayan IT professionals, in particular, working for foreign companies from the comfort of their homes is an increasingly feasible option due to the growing demand in the sector and the search for specialized labor. However, to access these positions, it is necessary to meet technical requirements and have proficiency in English or even a third language. Cultural and behavioral aspects between Uruguay and other countries are also challenges that must be considered in the integration and development process of professionals dreaming of working remotely for foreign companies.??

Uruguay's software and IT sector's foreign sales totaled $1.006 billion in 2022, demonstrating a 12% increase from 2021. According to data provided by the Central Bank of Uruguay, computer category exports for the mobile third quarter of 2023 amounted to $1.036 million.?

Most Uruguayan workers are betting on the remote model, where salary, flexibility, and autonomy lead the job satisfaction ranking. According to a survey by consultancy firm Mercer, 54.1% of the companies surveyed do not perceive a negative impact on the productivity levels of their employees working remotely. In fact, 16% believe there has been an increase in productivity.??

The reality of the data shows that this is a path of no return, and both companies and professionals must be prepared for an increasingly digital and dynamic future that will require flexibility in relationships and work models, whether they are onsite, hybrid, or 100% remote.

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