Nubank Will End Remote Work and Adopt Hybrid Model in 2026: What This Means For Developers
Hey developers, news that's shaking up the Brazilian tech market: Nubank announced it will end the 100% remote work model and adopt a hybrid format starting in 2026. For a company that was a symbol of flexibility during the pandemic, this change represents an important turning point.
Have you stopped to think that the "golden era" of remote work in tech might be coming to an end? And what does this mean for your career as a developer?
Nubank's Announcement
What changes:
- End of 100% remote work for most positions
- Hybrid model: office presence some days per week
- Gradual implementation throughout 2026
- Offices in São Paulo, Mexico City, and Bogotá will be central
- Exceptions for specific positions and special cases
Company's justification:
- Collaboration and innovation work better in person
- Organizational culture strengthened with physical interaction
- More effective onboarding of new employees
- Alignment with global market trends
The Context: Global Return to Office Trend
Nubank is not alone. Data shows a significant market shift:
Tech Market Statistics (2025)
Companies reducing remote:
- 30% of companies plan to eliminate remote work by 2026
- 63% of CEOs believed in full return to office (2023 survey)
- Only 33% maintain this prediction in 2024 (perspective shift)
- 50% of professionals prefer hybrid vs. 25% fully remote
New job postings:
- 24% of jobs in Q2 2025: hybrid
- 12% of jobs: fully remote
- Significant drop vs. 2021-2022 (when remote was majority)
Models by sector:
- Tech: 18.3% of remote jobs
- Professional Services: 24.3% remote
- All sectors: decline in remote jobs vs. previous years
BigTechs and Return to Office
Microsoft (2026):
- Strict RTO (Return to Office) begins February 2026
- Minimum office days requirement
- Presence monitoring
Google:
- Hybrid model: 3 days in office
- Limited flexibility
- Performance reviews consider presence
Amazon:
- Full return to office 5 days/week
- One of the strictest among BigTechs
Meta:
- Hybrid with regular presence expectation
- Centralized regional offices
Exceptions (Fully Remote):
- GitLab: remote-first since founding
- Zapier: 100% remote and maintaining
- Automattic (WordPress): globally distributed
Why Are Companies Changing Their Minds?
Reasons go beyond "micromanagement" or "lack of trust":
1. Collaboration and Innovation
Companies' arguments:
- Brainstorming and creativity flow better in person
- Hallway conversations generate unexpected insights
- Quick problem resolution ("let's chat real quick")
- More effective onboarding and mentoring face-to-face
Counter-arguments:
- Remote collaboration tools have evolved significantly
- Asynchronous communication can be more productive
- "Hallway conversations" also exclude people (the shy, the remote)
- Depends more on culture than location
2. Organizational Culture
Concerns:
- Difficult to create sense of belonging remotely
- Values and culture get lost without physical interaction
- New employees don't absorb "way of working"
- Disconnection between teams and departments
Counter-arguments:
- Culture is built through actions, not location
- Remote-first companies have strong cultures (GitLab, Zapier)
- Office doesn't guarantee culture if leadership is weak
3. Productivity and Accountability
Managers' perception:
- Difficult to measure remote productivity
- Concern about "double employment" (working 2 jobs)
- Lack of visibility into what's being done
- Infinite meetings to compensate for lack of presence
Data reality:
- Studies show equal or higher productivity remotely
- Output matters more than hours clocked
- Problem is management, not location
4. Real Estate Investments
Financial factor:
- Companies with long-term leases on expensive offices
- Empty spaces represent sunk cost
- Pressure to justify real estate investment
What This Means For Developers
If you're a dev, this trend directly affects your career:
Impact on Job Market
For those who prefer remote:
- Pool of 100% remote jobs shrinking
- Greater competition for remote-first positions
- Possible need to accept hybrid
- Remote position salaries may pressure downward
For those who accept hybrid:
- More options available
- Large companies (BigTechs, digital banks) requiring presence
- Need to live near tech hubs (SP, BH, Floripa)
- Trade-off: flexibility vs. opportunities
For those who prefer in-person:
- Competitive advantage in some processes
- Greater visibility with management
- Easier in-person networking
Geography Matters Again
Brazilian tech hubs:
- São Paulo: concentration of BigTechs and startups
- Belo Horizonte: growing hub
- Florianópolis: strong tech community
- Curitiba, Porto Alegre: regional markets
Consequences:
- Cost of living in these hubs is high
- Living far = fewer opportunities
- Alternative: accept relocation or focus on remote companies
Negotiation and Flexibility
Points to negotiate:
- How many days in person? (2, 3, 4?)
- Schedule flexibility?
- Home office on specific days?
- Cost coverage (transport, meals)?
- Full remote option for periods (vacation, emergencies)?
Interview questions:
- "What's the work model? Is hybrid optional or mandatory?"
- "How many days of presence are expected?"
- "Is there presence monitoring? How does it work?"
- "Does the company offer transport/meal allowance?"
- "Can I work remote temporarily if needed?"
Strategies to Navigate This Change
As a developer, you can adapt:
1. Strengthen Skills That Work Remotely
Premium skills in any model:
- Deep technical specialization (e.g., Rust, Golang, advanced DevOps)
- AI/ML expertise (high demand, more autonomy)
- Complex systems architecture
- Open source contributions (global reputation)
- Excellent asynchronous communication
If you're technically indispensable, you have more leverage to negotiate remote.
2. Consider Remote-First Companies
Where to focus:
- Startups born remote (didn't pivot to hybrid)
- International companies hiring in Brazil
- Consulting and freelance (more flexibility)
- Open source companies (Canonical, GitLab, etc.)
Platforms:
- WeWorkRemotely
- RemoteOK
- AngelList (filter remote)
- LinkedIn (filter "remote")
3. Evaluate Hybrid Cost-Benefit
Do the math:
Example: hybrid job 3x/week in SP
Additional costs:
- Transport: R$ 400-600/month
- Food: R$ 600-800/month
- Commute time: 2-3h/day = 24-36h/month
- Cost of living nearby: +R$ 500-1000 rent
Total: R$ 1,500-2,400/month + 30h of life
Is it worth it? Depends on salary and benefits offered.
Conclusion: Adaptability is the New Essential Soft Skill
Nubank's shift to hybrid is symptomatic of a larger trend: the pendulum is swinging back from "full remote" to a middle ground. We're not going back to 2019 (100% in-person), but we also won't maintain 2021 (100% remote).
For developers, this means balancing quality of life with career opportunities and being adaptable.
If you're interested in how the tech market is changing, I recommend checking out another article: Companies Return to Hiring Former Employees Amid AI Advancement where you'll discover another important career trend.
Let's go! 🦅
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