Work-life balance is the attribute most valued by workers in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the 2026 Work-Family Balance Pulse. Prepared by Rankmi from 3,908 responses across 14 markets in the region, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, the study indicates that 41.6% of participants prioritize this aspect when evaluating a company.
Next, 27.8% highlight the ability to deal with family emergencies, and 10.3% value autonomy in organizing tasks. Leaders who understand family responsibilities are a priority for 7.9%, while 6.5% prefer managers who respect the end of the workday. Benefits specifically intended for families are the main priority for 5.9% of respondents.
Among the conditions that most help with work-life balance, remote or hybrid work leads, with 29.2% of responses. Respect for rest periods follows, at 21%, along with proper workload planning, at 17.3%; flexible hours, at 15.1%; and support from managers, at 12.4%. Benefits linked to family care totaled 4.9%.
Flexibility, however, does not eliminate conflicts. Difficulty disconnecting after work was cited by 22.8% of participants. Another 16.6% reported problems dedicating enough time to their families, and 16.2% said they were unable to set aside time for their own well-being.
Priorities also vary across generations. Generation Z, made up of people born between 1997 and 2012, places greater importance on personal time, cited by 25.3%. Millennials, who represent 54.3% of the sample, value above all the ability to choose where to work and the preservation of rest periods. Generation X combines a preference for remote work with better task organization and support from managers. Among baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, work organization and guidance from supervisors carry greater weight.
For companies, the shift intensifies competition for workers. Pay and benefits remain relevant, but work-schedule structure, workload distribution and respect for time outside working hours are becoming part of the value proposition used to attract and retain talent. In practice, flexibility policies can influence hiring costs, team retention and operational organization.
In Paraguay, the figures are not directly comparable with the regional study, but they point in the same direction. Jobs Paraguay reported, based on the 2025 Compensation and Benefits Study by the iRH institute, that 37% of the companies surveyed had practices related to working from home. The survey covered 193 companies: 65.2% had Paraguayan capital and 34.8% were multinational companies.
The sectors with the greatest presence of these practices included technology, at 33%; administration, at 30%; and human resources, at 12%. The most common format combined three days working from home with two days in person, indicating that in the Paraguayan market, adoption tends to occur mainly through hybrid models.