Statistics on Remote Work for 2021

Becker Friedman Institute for Economics surveyed 10,000 employees to determine if there is a connection between remote working and productivity. Statistics confirmed that almost a third of all workers felt more engaged and productive working from home. Working from home is a huge perk for remote workers, who don’t like traveling much for work. The number of remote workers who choose to work from remote locations other than their homes is expected to increase in 2022. It isn’t all roses when you work remotely, and for many people, the biggest challenge is being able to unplug from work once their working hours are over. Additionally, many remote workers face the problem of loneliness and the difficulty of communicating and collaborating with coworkers when they work alone.

Buffer’s findings for 2023 show that 82% of remote workers choose their homes as their primary work location. Only 5% stated they work from coworking spaces, while 2% preferred to work in coffee shops. Moreover, 96% of remote workers agree that work-life balance is integral to their happiness at work.

54% of IT professionals believe that remote workers present a greater security risk than the onsite employees.

While 35% of employees have the option to work from home full time, and 90% of employees had the opportunity to work under a hybrid work model. Recent research shows that 87% of respondents stated that remote work options improved their overall work-life balance. Remote work statistics indicate benefits across the board, ranging from improved mental health and better work-life balance to increased productivity and a more positive environmental impact. Additionally, in a survey with Mental Health America, FlexJobs found that respondents with flexible work options (including remote work) report better mental health. In fact, employees without access to flexible work are nearly two times more likely to have poor or very poor mental health. For better or worse, the work environment has a direct impact on mental and emotional health.

If only they have the opportunity to work from home for the rest of their lives, even part time, they will surely go for it. This proves that working remotely is not just a fad but an amazing opportunity for everyone. From our personal experience and several sources, we can confidently say that working from home has a ton of benefits. But if you enjoy working in the office, we wish you nothing but great success. For those who prefer remote work, click HERE to build an amazing career with us. Reasons such as flexibility, work-life balance, and no commuting can all add up to the happiness of remote workers.

Remote work is good for employers, too

At the same time, 14% believe that remote work makes career progression less difficult when working remotely, and 41% say it has no impact at all. According to outsourcing statistics, about 45% of companies outsourcing IT functions say they do so to save money. Working-from-home statistics indicate that this could be the next big effect of technology, allowing workers more freedom and flexibility in organizing their precious time. A PwC survey of CEOs from diverse industries and countries found that over half of respondents (54%) think the shift from traditional employment to the gig economy will be permanent.

• If only they have the opportunity to work from home for the rest of their lives, even part time, they will surely go for it.
• This statistic and similar stats on working from home indicate a mismatch between how flexible employers are willing to be and what employees seek.
• A study by RescueTime revealed that remote workers have 22 minutes more daily focused work time than office workers, demonstrating better time management skills.

For the latter,  not having to come into the office enables them to save on transportation and takeout food while offering more flexibility in many areas of their lives. Employers can use this model to broaden the talent pool and cut down on office-related expenses. On the other hand, some of the most common downsides include isolation and a lack of communication. Remote work statistics suggest that these comfortable environments, devoid of pressure and distractions, are important contributors to the higher level of productivity. The flexibility that working remotely offers also helps to minimize stress and work burnout. As such, it’s not surprising that a growing number of businesses and companies are incorporating models and structures for remote work.

How does remote work impact employee productivity and performance??

According to a survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 2021, most respondents working from home said their mental health had declined. The remote work trends of 2022 leave no doubt in our minds that remote employment is here to stay. The shift toward working from home during the pandemic has changed how we live, work, and plan for the future.

The savings would come from higher productivity; lower absenteeism, turnover, and real estate costs; and the ability to continue operating when employees can’t get to work. The latest remote work statistics prove that small businesses are increasingly hiring remote employees, and employees are loving working remotely. Overall satisfaction with the collaboration tools and processes that support remote communication is very high — 82% of respondents in GitLab’s 2021 report agree. More recent numbers from Microsoft’s Work Trend Index report underscored that 85% of employers still harbor misgivings about remote and hybrid work. Namely, the respondents cite they find it increasingly difficult to trust their employees to deliver quality work outside the office. Of those that manage remote workers and teams, 36% are concerned about employee productivity, and 36% are worried about reduced focus, Owl Labs 2021 report found.

As a result of our digging into the environmental impact of working from home, we uncovered these surprising facts. In 2016, Dell announced its plans to further expand its telecommuting and remote work initiatives, citing the $12 million in annual savings from reduced office space costs. Companies such as Dell, American Express and Aetna Insurance all have encouraged employees to work remote, which has helped them save significantly on overhead. One third of firms report that they expect to see businesses of all sizes opting for flexible work locations rather than fixed term leading contracts.

• About 59% of work-from-home employees say that they enjoy more free time because they don’t commute to work.
• And, as the McKinsey report highlights, women report fewer instances of microaggressions when working remotely.
• A study by the SHRM determined that remote work enables employers to tap into a global talent pool, significantly increasing their chances of finding the best candidates for job openings.
• Therefore, most of them believe that even after COVID-19 has passed, they would like to have the option to work remotely and maintain a level of happiness at the workplace.
• Remote working statistics show that the increased level of flexibility delivered a range of benefits for many employees, who said they felt healthier and happier.
• Buffer’s 2022 report revealed that 63% of employees said their companies offer flexible work.

Since remote and hybrid work became more predominant, productivity has preoccupied employers and employees. In Buffer’s 2023 report, 11% of respondents cited difficulty disconnecting after work as the biggest challenge. This percentage is a decrease from the previous year, when 25% of remote workers could not unplug when off the clock. So, to make things a bit easier for their remote workers, about 37% of companies have implemented a no-meeting days policy in place, Buffer reported.

26% of U.S. employees work remotely as of 2022 and 16% of companies are fully remote. Though overall remote workers seem more productive and satisfied, they also have some concerns, as shown below. The consensus of reports shows that the majority of employees prefer remote work – either full-time or as a hybrid option. According to Upwork’s The Future of Work Report, 32.2% of hiring managers found that employee productivity has increased since they adopted remote work while 22.5% said that it has decreased.

This represents a significant increase from the pre-pandemic levels, where remote work was seen as a privilege offered by only a few organizations. The shift to remote work brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed organizations https://remotemode.net/blog/breaking-down-2021-2022-remote-work-statistics/ to re-evaluate their traditional work models. A recent survey conducted by PwC found that 78% of CEOs believe that remote work is here to stay, with many organizations shifting to hybrid or fully remote work models.