Navigating the energy crisis: The case for remote, flexible and hybrid working

Years after the pandemic, however, as employers and employees alike became accustomed to a degree of flexibility, many organisations began to push for a return to the office, seeking to restore pre-pandemic working patterns. That debate has now been sharply overtaken by events. The conflict in the Middle East has triggered what the International Energy Agency (IEA) has described as the "largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market".  The near-total halt in tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow passage through which approximately 20 percent of the world's oil supply normally flows — has sent energy prices surging across the globe. South Africa, which imports crude oil and fuel is particularly to this supply shock.

The Scale of the Energy Shock

The repercussions of this conflict are felt by workers, employers and households across the globe, and South Africa is no exception. Since the conflict began, the average price of Brent crude oil has surged from approximately US$98 to US$110 per barrel during the period under review, with prices at times exceeding US$112 per barrel. The impact in the South African context is significant. With effect from 1 April 2026, the retail price of 95 Unleaded petrol at the coast increased by R3.06 per litre to R22.49 per litre, whilst in Gauteng, 93 Unleaded now costs R23.25 per litre. Diesel has been hit harder. Without the government's, a temporary R3 per litre reduction in the general fuel levy, petrol would have increased by approximately R5.81 per litre and diesel by as much as R10.27 per litre, making this a steep increase. Accordingly, the increase in transport costs, both private and public, is imminent.

A Renewed Imperative for Flexible Working

It is against this backdrop that the question of remote, flexible and hybrid working has acquired fresh urgency, not as a matter of employee preference or organisational culture, but as a practical measure with tangible economic and social benefits. On 20 March 2026, the IEA issued a formal report identifying ten demand-side measures that governments, businesses and households should adopt immediately to ease the strain on energy markets. On the list was a clear and unequivocal recommendation: work from home where possible.

Working from home eliminates or substantially reduces the fuel consumed by daily commuting. Several countries have acted on this guidance.

For employers, the current energy crisis presents both an opportunity and a responsibility. The lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that remote and hybrid working arrangements can be implemented successfully across a wide range of sectors and roles without a material loss in productivity. Employers who invested in the infrastructure, policies and management practices needed to support flexible working during the pandemic are now well placed to deploy those same arrangements in response to the present crisis. From an employment perspective, employers should be mindful that the cost of commuting is a real and increasing burden on employees.

Where roles permit, employers can consider implementing or reinstating remote and hybrid working arrangements. This need not be an all-or-nothing proposition. A modest increase in the number of days worked from home can yield meaningful savings for employees and contribute to the broader effort to reduce fuel demand.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic was the first occasion on which remote, flexible and hybrid working was considered and implemented on a truly significant scale in South Africa. The current energy crisis, driven by the conflict in the Middle East and its impact on global fuel prices, provides compelling grounds for South African employers to revisit these arrangements.