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We have previously blogged about the “Great Resignation” and the “Gig Economy”, and “Why older / more experienced employees offer great value to start-ups (and how this represents an opportunity for you)”. Both articles indicate global technological, social, and employment trends that represent excellent opportunities for you. In this article, we will look at the scope of those opportunities to give you a sense of the enormity and sustainability they represent.
We ask you to bear with us, though, because writing about statistics can get a little dry and technical – it’s unavoidable. But if you’re interested in understanding the opportunity available to you working virtually then it’s worth the read.
Statistics on remote workers that will surprise you
Since the first quarter of 2020 remote work trends and expectations have changed. Employers weren’t prepared for their entire workforce to work from home but thanks to technology and innovation it’s working out well for many employers.
Worldwide, more and more employers are embracing flexible schedules for their remote teams leading to new remote work trends and more remote work options.
This begs the question; is remote work here to stay and are employees more productive?
Let’s see what the remote work statistics and trends tell us.
Global Workplace Analytics believes that 25-30% of the workforce will work remotely by 2023.
That said, remote work has emerged as a widespread practice in the modern workplace, with a growing number of companies effectively adopting and implementing the concept.
Embracing the new remote work trends while creating a strong remote work culture has become the norm. Furthermore, many companies have reported improved bottom-line results because of the increased diversity of their talent pool and the reduction of their administrative costs.
Statistics On Remote Workers Explored
10,000 employees surveyed by the Becker-Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago said they thought they were just as productive working from home compared to working in the office.
In fact, 30% of those respondents told researchers they were more productive and engaged working from home.
This same survey team calculated that commuting time was reduced by 62.4 million hours per day with aggregate time savings of over 9 billion hours starting from the middle of March 2020 to the middle of September 2020.
Less time spent commuting to and from work allowed more workers to relax and focus on their jobs. As a result of not having to worry about getting to work on time, workers can start their days on a positive note and show more enthusiasm for their work.
A report by Owl labs in 2021 found that 55% of respondents say they work more hours remotely than at the physical office. This same report found that only 36% of people believe the office is best suited for individual work.
32% of those surveyed by Owl Labs said they would quit their job if they were not able to continue working remotely.
What percentage of jobs are remote?
In the United States, the labour force reached a high of 164.6 million people working in February 2020 just before the Pandemic got into full swing.
Statistics on remote workers reveal that more than 4.7 million people work remotely at least half the time in the United States. 44% of companies do not allow remote work and only 16% of companies hire remote-only workers.
Globally, 16% of companies are fully remote according to an Owl labs study. This same study found that about 62% of workers aged 22 to 65 claim to work remotely at least occasionally.
This study also found that 44% of companies do not allow remote work of any kind.
Useful Statistics On Remote Workers
A survey by Owl labs found the following:
- Remote employees save an average of 40 minutes daily from commuting.
- Since 2020 people have been meeting by video calls 50% more since COVID-19.
- During COVID-19 close to 70% of full-time workers are working from home.
- After COVID-19 92% of people surveyed expected to work from home at least 1 day per week and 80% expected to work at least 3 days from home per week.
- 23% of those surveyed would take a 10% pay cut to work from home permanently.
- People are saving on average close to 500 dollars per month being at home during COVID-19. Resulting in savings close to $6000 per year.
- A mere 20-25% of companies are paying some of the cost for home office equipment and furnishings.
- 81% of those surveyed believe their employer will continue to support remote work after COVID-19.
- 59% of respondents said they would be more likely to choose an employer who offered remote work compared to those who didn’t.
Are Remote Workers More Productive?
The numbers say remote workers are more productive in many cases but not in all situations.
The future of work report by Upwork found that 22.5% of survey managers said productivity had decreased compared to 32.2% of hiring managers that said productivity has increased since their employees started working from home in 2020.
Their performance was boosted by 22% when employees were able to work from home a study by Stanford found.
Mercer, an HR and workplace benefits consulting firm surveyed 800 employers. 94% of these employers stated that work productivity was the same or higher since employees started working from home.
Why Are Remote Workers More Productive?
Remote workers are more productive because they have no commute, less or no office small talk, fewer distractions, more time for family, exercise, a higher quality of life, and a better overall work-life balance.
Job satisfaction is critical to keeping employee productivity high and lowering employee turnover.
Companies that allow their employees to be telecommuters also recommend their company to their friends seeking work more often than companies that don’t.
Typically, worker productivity increases when organizations provide remote employees with access to webinar with lectures on topics relevant to their jobs or career advancement.
In addition, they have the option to move laterally inside the organization, thus expanding their horizons and providing them with new opportunities.
Why Are Remote Workers More Productive?
Remote workers are more productive because they have no commute, less or no office small talk, fewer distractions, more time for family, exercise, a higher quality of life, and a better overall work-life balance.
Job satisfaction is critical to keeping employee productivity high and lowering employee turnover.
Companies that allow their employees to be telecommuters also recommend their company to their friends seeking work more often than companies that don’t.
Typically, worker productivity increases when organizations provide remote employees with access to webinar with lectures on topics relevant to their jobs or career advancement.
In addition, they have the option to move laterally inside the organization, thus expanding their horizons and providing them with new opportunities.
Are Remote Workers Happier?
A survey report conducted by Owl labs suggests remote workers are happier and stay in their jobs longer. They also found that workers who were working at home reported being happy 22% more than workers who always work in an onsite office environment.
These remote workers reported having less stress, more focus, and a better work-life balance. The remote workers also worked over 40 hours a week 43% more compared to workers that never worked remotely.
It’s clear this remote work trend is increasing by the day and could be a key to employee retention. Another model that is also gaining traction is the hybrid working model where workers are in the office part of the week and at home working part of the week.
Giving employees more choices may give them more flexibility and improve their general wellness. Since they have more time to spend with their families and friends, they’ll develop a happier disposition that could translate into the quality of their work output.
It’s worth noting that when your employees are happy and satisfied, their loyalty to the company also increases, eliminating the chances of being enticed to transfer to another company even if there’s a better offer.
Benefits Of Working From Home For Employers And Employees
Global Workplace Analytics estimates that employers can save over 11,000 dollars per year per employee. The savings are from the lower cost of office space, increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and less turnover.
They also estimate savings for employees in the $2,500 and $4,000 per year range. This is due to lowered food costs, fuel costs, parking, car insurance premiums, and car maintenance.
Working From Home is Good For The Environment
An increase in telecommuting means fewer cars on the road. Transportation accounts for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States according to the EPA.
The EPA statistics also show that light-duty vehicles such as cars make up 59% and medium to heavy-duty trucks make up 23% of the emissions.
This is happening because 86% of commuters drive a private vehicle to work according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Fewer cars on the road now and in the future will lower greenhouse gas emissions significantly.
With fewer people driving on the highways every day the transportation infrastructure of the United States is impacted less. This is a remote work trend everyone can get on board with.
Do employees want to return to the office?
A survey by slack of 9,000 workers in six countries found that 72% prefer a hybrid remote-office model with only 12% preferring to always work in an office setting. They also found that 13% would like to always work from home if given the choice.
PwC conducted a similar survey of 1,200 US office workers and 120 executives in 2020. 73% percent of those executives surveyed found that working remotely has been a success.
PwC survey also found that 72% of those workers surveyed would like to continue working from home for at least 2 days a week even when they can go back to the office full time. 32% said they would like to work from home permanently.
The same executives in the PwC survey expected to need 30% less office space in the next three years.
Is Remote Work Here To Stay?
Remote work is a hot topic these days and by all accounts, it will keep increasing into the next decade.
Below are some estimates and predictions from several sources that drive that point home.
A survey conducted by Upwork of 1,500 hiring managers found that due to COVID-19, 61.9% of the companies were planning more remote work now and in the following years to come. Accelerating the remote work trend that has been going on for the past few years.
This same report predicts 36.2 million workers or 22% of Americans will be working remotely by the year 2025. This is an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
Global Workplace Analytics estimates that 56% of W2 workers or 75 million employers could work from home if their employers allowed it.
Global Workplace Analytics estimates that 25-30% of the workforce will work from home for several days a week by the end of 2021.
The CEO of Facebook stated that he expects 50% of their workforce to be working remotely by 2030.
Working from home has many benefits including less office space costs for employers. The numbers tell the story and it looks like the remote worker trend will continue.
Conclusion
Remote work is beneficial to employees and companies. This represents wonderful and sustainable opportunities for you. As we’ve mentioned before the digital world is not as scary as it seems initially and older employees who learn to embrace new technology are reaping the benefits and opportunities previously unavailable to them.
It’s a brave new world – filled with opportunities for you.