153 Remote Work Statistics, Trends (UPDATED 2023)

Remote work (often referred to as hybrid working) is on the rise and the sheer scale and speed of change are staggering. The buzzword “work-life balance” originated in the early 1990s, but the concept of remote work has been around since the late 1970s when studies first documented the telecommuting phenomenon.

Since then, there has been a steady increase in the number of people working remotely, and is set to continue.

When you add Covid into the mix of external influences, then the acceleration of this trend is set to continue at an even faster pace.

So what does that mean for the future of work?

Are we going to see a rise in the number of people working remotely?

What impact will this have on productivity?

These are some of the questions that we will be addressing in this article by way of updated statistics, images and infographics.

Key stats

• 60% of Remote Workers Say Their Work-life Balance Has Improved better work-life balance.
• Companies that allow remote work have 25% lower employee turnover than those that don’t.
• Telecommuters right now reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equal to 600,000 cars.
• 52% of Men and 60% of Women will Quit If They Are Not Allowed to Continue Remote Work.
• Small companies are twice as likely to hire full-time remote workers.
• The average salary for Remote jobs in the UK is £41,571.
• The typical ZipRecruiter salary in the US is $33,000 (25th percentile) to $93,500 (75th percentile).

General Remote Work Statistics

1. Small Companies Are Two Times More Likely to Hire Full-time Remote Workers 2X more likely.

2. 29% of Fully Remote Employees Feel Burned out Very Often or Always – Gallup study.

3. 4.5% of Renters in the US Can Buy a Starter House Somewhere in the US Because of Remote Work Zillow reports.

4. 81% of Employees Would Be More Loyal to Their Company If They Had Flexible Work Options 81% of employees (Flexjobs). 

5. 60% of Remote Workers Say Their Work-life Balance Has Improved better work-life balance (Roberthalf.com).

6. 4.1% of the Entire Workforce in the US Telecommuted Half-time or More reports Global Workplace Analytics.

7. The Average Annual Income of Telecommuters Is $4000 Higher than Non-telecommutes in the US – higher salary remote workers paid (Flexjobs.com).

8. 78% of people who have college degrees would prefer flexible time. (FlexJobs).

9. 61% of US Employees are Ready to Take a Pay cut so as to Continue the Remote Working Status – According to The State of Remote Work Report from GoodHire,

10. 73% of C-suite and IT Leaders Think that Telecommuters Pose a Greater Security Risk than In-office Workers – cyber security risks (Openvpn.net).

11. The average annual income of remote workers is $4,000 higher than that of other workers (FlexJobs).

12. 61% of Financial Services CFOs Say They Plan to Make Telecommuting Permanent for Jobs that Can Be Done Remotely reported PwC.

13. Only 20-25% of Companies Pay or Share the Cost of Home Office Equipment for Remote Workers Only – 2PWC.com.

14. 63% of Job Seekers Are Looking for Remote or Work from Home Jobs – Zippia.com.

15. Companies that allow remote work have 25% lower employee turnover than those that don’t. (Owl Labs)

16. 85% of Americans Need Confirmed Remote/Hybrid Option before Applying for Jobs 85% of Americans (Goodhire.com).

17. 85% of managers believe that having remote workers will become the new normal for many teams (TECLA.io).

18. 64% of recruiters say that being able to pitch a work-from-home policy helps them find high-quality talent (IWG).

19. Telecommuters right now reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equal to 600,000 cars. (State of Telecommuting).

20. People who work remotely at least once a month are 24% more likely to be happy and productive. (Owl Labs).

21. The Number of Coworking Spaces Globally Is Expected to Cross 40,000 by 2024 reports Global Coworking Growth Study.

22. 80% of telecommuters experience less work-related stress. (Amerisleep).

23. Companies that allow remote work see an average increase of $2,000 in profit per remote worker (Stanford).

24. Collaboration, Communication, and Loneliness are the Biggest Challenge with Working Remotely biggest struggle (Buffer.com).

25. 70% of Americans Would Leave Employee Benefits for Remote Work – Goodhire.com.

26. Remote Work Can Save a Professional between $600 to $6000 per year (Globalworkplaceanalytics.com).

27. 35% of Working Professional Would Change their Jobs to Work Remotely Full Time.  According to a report from Global Workplace Analytics.

28. 84% of Remote Workers State that Their Opinion Count at Work – According to Quantum Workplace.

29. 84% of remote workers prefer working remotely from home. (Buffer).

30. 62% of American Working from Home Plan to Migrate to a New City from Simform.

31. Around 62% of employees aged 22 to 65 say they work remotely at least occasionally (Owl Labs).

32. 55% of U.S. workers say remote work can succeed in their industry. (LinkedIn).

33. Since 2009, the number of people who work from home has risen by 159% (Global Workplace Analytics).

34. 44% of companies in the world don’t allow remote work (Owl Labs).

35. 44% of remote workers who have unlimited vacation options only take two or three weeks off per year. (Buffer).

36. 54% of IT professionals consider remote workers to pose a greater security risk than traditional workers. (OpenVPN).

37. 45% of Working Professionals Say that They Work More While Working Remotely According to Buffer.

38. 50% of Organization Leaders Find Remote Employees Are More Frequently Joining Performance Reviews and Goal Management more engaged (Engagedly.com).

39. Only 23% of remote workers state that their employer covers the cost of a coworking space membership. (Buffer).

40. 70% of Remote Job Listings Originate from the US. The US leads (Smallbiztrends.com).

41. Only 70% of remote workers get regular training from their company. (TalentLMS).

42. 32% of Employees Say Having a Flexible Work Schedule Is the Biggest Benefit of Remote Work 32% of employees. (Buffer).

43. 56% of Employees Have a Job in Which Some Tasks Can be Completed Remotely Global Workplace Analytics.

44. More than 75% of people said they feel more trusted at work while working remotely. (Owl Labs).

45. 53% of U.S. telecommuters view flexible scheduling as the top benefit. (Statista).

46. People are using video meetings 50% more than before the pandemic. (Owl Labs).

47. 57% of remote workers think they are more productive when they work from home. (Indeed).

48. 57% of employees in the financial industry can work from home. (U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics).

49. An Airtasker survey found that 37% of remote workers stay productive by taking breaks. (Airtasker).

50. Xerox calculated that it saved 92 million miles of driving by allowing its remote workers to avoid commuting. (Gallup).

51. Telecommuting has grown 115% in the past decade (Thepennyhoarder.com).

52. 69% of millennials would give up on certain work benefits for a more flexible working space (CBRE).

53. Remote employees are 16% less likely to agree that their manager involves them in the goal-setting process. (QZ.com).

54. 52% of Men and 60% of Women will Quit If They Are Not Allowed to Continue Remote Work as per FlexJobs.

55. Overall, working from home is more environmentally friendly than working in an office. Additionally, when employers offer remote work options, they experience a better reputation, boosted customer loyalty, and have happier, healthier employees. A report from Alliance Virtual Offices.

56. Companies can save an average of $11,000 (6,810) per year for every employee who spends half of their time working remotely (Global Workplace Analytics).

57. A part-time telecommuter saves the equivalent of 11 workdays per year in time they would have otherwise spent commuting. (Global Workplace Analytics).

58. 25% to 30% of the workforce will be working remotely from home by the end of 2021. (Global Workplace Analytics).

59. 29% of US employees said they miss the visibility of being in the office and training and career progression opportunities. (Owl Labs).

60. 20% of people cite collaboration and communication as one of the biggest struggles of working remotely. (Buffer).

61. Individual contributors are 20% more likely than average to work remotely. (Owl Labs).

62. 18% of people said they find it hard to unplug. (Buffer).

63. 74% of companies plan to shift some of their employees to remote work permanently (Gartner).

64. 74% of workers say that having a remote work opportunity would make them less likely to leave a company (Owl Labs).

65. 73% of teams will have remote workers by 2028. (Upwork).

66. 16% of companies globally are fully-remote (Owl Labs).

67. 77% of remote workers say they’re more productive when they’re working from home (CoSo Cloud).

68. Statistics about remote work show that 21% of workers would give up some of their vacation time to get flexible working options. (FlexJobs).

69. A Whopping 16% of People Working Remotely are Managers Fundera reports:

• 16% of remote workers are managers
• 14% of remote professionals are office and administrative support executives
• 13% of remote workers are sales related

70. 37% of the US Jobs Can Be Performed Entirely at Home. bfi.uchicago.edu.

71. 71% of Remote Workers Say They’re Happy in Their Jobs reports Owl Labs.

72. The number of people who work from home has increased by 140% since 2005. (Global Workplace Analytics).

73. 52% of global employees work remotely once a week, and 68% do so at least once per month. (Owl Labs).

74. 2.9% of the total U.S. workforce works remotely at least half of the time. (Flexjobs).

75. 65% of Remote Workers Don’t Want to Return to a Traditional Office Even After the Pandemic Ends – A survey conducted by FlexJobs.

76. 74% of Working Professionals Think that Remote Work Will Become the New Normal Growmotely. 

77. 51% of Employees State That They’re More Productive Working Remotely.

A FlexJobs survey has listed the following reasons for increased productivity of people who work remotely:

• Fewer interruptions (68%)
• More focused time (63%)
• Quiet work environment (68%)
• More conformable workplace (66%)

78. 51% of employers officially allow their employees to work from home – Softchoice.

79. 40% of people feel that the greatest benefit of remote work is the flexible schedule – (Buffer).

80. More Than Half (56%) of Companies Globally are Hybrid Companies or Fully Remote Companies The Owl Labs report mentioned.

81. The IT and Technology Industry, with 77% Remote Employees (Partially and Fully), Is at the Top When It Comes to Embracing the Remote Model.

Here is the list, according to BCG:

• IT and technology (77%)
• Digitization and analytics (75%)
• Consulting (74%)

82. 75% of remote workers say their company doesn’t pay for their home internet. (Buffer).

83. 74% of workers would quit their job if offered more flexible options elsewhere. (Softchoice).

84. For 77% of future employees, the possibility of working from home one day a week is a great incentive. (AfterCollege).

85. The three biggest challenges associated with remote work are unplugging after work (22%), loneliness (19%), and communication (17%) (Buffer).

86. Small companies are twice as likely to hire full-time remote workers. (Owl Labs).

87. 86% of Employees Say that Flexible or Remote Jobs Will Allow Them to Reduce Stress – A FlexJobs survey. 

88. 86% of workers prefer to work alone to achieve maximum productivity. (SurePayroll).

89. Brainstorming is the most challenging type of meeting when it comes to remote work. (Owl Labs).

90. 36.2 Million Americans Will Be Remote by 2025 According to Future Workforce Report.

Let’s take a look at the UK Remote work statistics:

UK Remote Work Statistics

91. 14% of those in key public service occupations reported being able to work from home –  ons.gov.uk.

92. 86% of companies now have a policy to deal with coronavirus-related absences. (Gov.uk)

Covid 19 has had a huge part to play in the statistics for today and also going forward:

Before and After the Spread of COVID-19

93. 36% of working adults in the United Kingdom reported having worked from home at least once in the previous seven days as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, which began between 19th and 30th January 2022.

94. Almost half (46%) of homeworkers said they spent less because of the COVID-19 epidemic, and a similar proportion (49%) reported spending less when surveyed in November.

95. Utility bills were the most common place where homeworkers’ expenses increased, with 86% reporting that their spending had risen.

96. Half of the homeworkers (50%) said they spent less on petrol and parking while commuting, and two-fifths (40%) reported spending less on transportation by public transport.

97. Almost nine in ten homeworkers who live in rented housing (92%) stated that their utility expenses have gone up, compared with 86% of people who are presently paying a mortgage and 77% of homeowners who own their home free and clear.

98. While homeworkers with children are somewhat more likely to report increased expenditures on food (39%), utilities (89%), and internet access (27%) than homeworkers without children (29%, 85%, and 23%), the impact appears to be less significant.

99. The degree of COVID-19 regulations is positively related to the proportion of individuals who homework, and negatively associated with overall debit and credit card spending.

Home Working and spending by characteristic

100. According to Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN), data collected between 19 and 30 January 2022, over a third of working adults (36%) have worked from home at least once in the past seven days owing to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

101. The proportion of workers who reported that they were unable to work due to an internet outage has risen somewhat in recent weeks, but it is still below the peak observed from 11-14 June 2020, during the first lockdown, when 48% of all employees worked from home.

102. In the most recent OPN data, in which respondents were asked how their spending changed as a result of working from home because of the pandemic, nearly half (46%) said they spent less. In contrast, 28% said their spending had stayed the same, and 8% were uncertain. When the OPN asked this question previously (3 to 14 November 2021), 49% of homeworkers stated that as a result of working from home due to the epidemic, they spent less money.

103. Employees who worked from home reported spending less than those who worked on-site since the epidemic by nearly half (48%) versus roughly a third (32%) of self-employed individuals who worked at home.

104. Homeworkers with dependent children were more likely than those without to state a change in expenditures. A fifth of household homeworkers (22%) said they had increased spending, compared with (16%) of non-household homeworkers. Those who have dependent children were more inclined to report an increase in food spending (39%), utilities (89%), and internet access costs (27%) than those without dependent children (29%, 85%, and 23%).

105. Households with children were more likely to report reduced spending on two items: transportation and food. Overall, homeworkers with dependent children reported spending less (48%) than those without (45%). Those with dependent children spent significantly less on gasoline and parking for traveling (55%), as well as public transport for commuting (42%) compared to those without such responsibilities. A greater proportion of individuals without dependent children decreased their expenditures in other areas (30% vs 25% respectively).

106. The proportion of people who said they spent less as a result of homeworking was larger among those with dependent children (48%) than it was among those without dependent children (45%). Almost half of the males (49%) stated that because of homeworking, they had decreased their spending, which is somewhat higher than women (43%).

107. In addition to the demographic variances in spending noted above, previous studies have revealed differences in the ability to work from home by occupation and demographics, with lower-income individuals, frontline employees, and men being less likely to be able to work from home.

Homeworking and spending by spending area

108. People who worked from home noted an increase in their utilities and internet spending the most frequently.

109. More than eight in ten (86%) respondents said they had spent more on utility bills since working from home because of the pandemic, similar to the 82% who reported higher spending on utility bills from November 3 to 14, 2021. This might be attributed to higher power and heating costs as employees spend time at home instead of at their place of work.

110. This could also be attributed to the fact that energy bills have gotten more expensive as a result of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) energy price cap, which went into effect in October 2021. Working from home or not, most OPN respondents reported an increase in cost of living in early 2022, with energy bills being a typical source of extra expenditure, especially for those on lower incomes.

111. Almost a quarter of people who work from home (24%) said they spent more on the internet. In March 2021, Ofcom, the UK telecommunications regulator, observed improved average broadband speeds in comparison to November 2019 as households upgraded their internet packages owing to widespread homeworking and learning.

112. As a result of the pandemic, 50% of individuals who worked from home claimed they had spent less on petrol and parking for commuting since working from home, while 40% stated they were spending less on public transportation to get to work.

113. Fewer than half of those who worked from home said their food budget remained the same. A third (33%) said they had spent more on meals since working from home, while (34%) said they had spent less.

114. The majority of homeworkers who live in rented housing (92%) said their utility spending had increased. This was 15 percentage points greater than the proportion of homeowners with a mortgage who reported an increase in utility expenditures (77%). 86 percent of current mortgage borrowers said their utility expenditure has gone up since the epidemic, according to homeworkers who are paying off a loan.

115. In contrast, the proportion of homeworkers in rented housing who said they spent more on utilities as a result of homeworking increased by 10 percentage points (92% in January 2022 compared with 82% in November 2021). The proportion of individuals who reported paying more for utilities in their own homes and mortgages fell by 3 percentage points and 1 percentage point, respectively.

Current home working practices

116. According to Annual Population Survey (APS) data, on average, 27% of the workforce worked from home at some time in 2019. This increased to an average of 37% in 2020, as a result of government recommendations to work from home whenever feasible.

117. Since March 2021, the proportion of people working remotely has been decreasing as restrictions on remote work have lightened, according to data from OPN.

118. While the percentage of workers who both work from home and commute has remained relatively stable, evidence from the OPN and the Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) suggest that people and businesses anticipate higher rates of hybrid working after the COVID-19 epidemic.

Statistics provided by: OECD.org

Let’s take a look at the US Remote work statistics:

US Remote Work Statistics

Before and After the Spread of COVID-19

119. 4.7 million people were already working remotely from home before the COVID-19 pandemic. (Flexjobs).

120. 88% of the organizations, worldwide, made it mandatory or encouraged their employees to work from home after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. (Gartner).

121. Zoom is one of the most widely used apps to meet the increased virtual collaboration needs amidst COVID-19. (Zoom).

122. COVID-19 is expected to create a workforce boom with hundreds of millions of technology workers. By 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be remote, up 16.8 million people from prior pandemic rates (COVID-19).

123. 80% of the US Employees Expect to Work Remotely at least Three Times a Week post-Covid-19 stat from Owl Labs.

124. Remote Employees Worked an Extra 26 Hours on Average each Month During COVID Owl Labs report.

125. Those who work remotely as a result of COVID save an average of 49.6 minutes each day on average. This indicates that people have saved more than four days (4.13) in commuting time since the start of COVID, which was in mid-March. For those who were already working remotely, Upwork.

Let’s take a look at the Canada Remote work statistics:

Canada Remote Work Statistics

126. Number Of Teleworkers In Canada – 5.1m (Statista).

127. Share Of Employees In Home Office In Canada 32% (Statista).

128. Employees Combining Workplace And Telework In Canada 14% (Statista).

129. Statistics Canada revealed Thursday the number of Canadians working from home held steady in November at 4.2 million. (Statcan).

“Among workers aged 15 to 69 who worked at least half their usual hours, the proportion working from home held steady at 23.5% in November, the third consecutive month of little change,” the agency said.

Before and After the Spread of COVID-19

130. 90% of “new teleworkers”, i.e. teleworkers who did not usually work from home before the COVID-19 pandemic, reported being at least as productive at home as they were previously at their usual place of work. This share holds for women and men alike, regardless of age, educational attainment, marital status, parenthood, industry, or occupation. The remaining 10% reported accomplishing less work per hour while at home than at their usual workplace due to a lack of interaction with co-workers, family care commitments, inadequate workspace, or IT equipment. (Statcan).

131. In Canada, 35% of all “new teleworkers” worked long hours, with managers doing so in larger percentages (51%). In contrast, only 3% of all new teleworkers said they work shorter hours. (Statcan).

132. Between May and August 2020, the proportion of Canadian businesses expecting to provide at least some of their employees with the option to telework increased from 34% to 59%. (Statcan).

133. In Canada, when the epidemic is over, 80% of new teleworkers would want to work at least half of their hours from home. Only 15% would want to work all of their hours from home after the pandemic. (Statcan). 

134. Perceived productivity at home was also linked to a desire to work from home. Workers who said they completed more tasks per hour while working from home stated that they would want to work most or all of their hours at home far more frequently than other workers (57 percent) instead of doing so equally as often as other employees (30%). (Statcan). 

135. As of May 2021, 5 million Canadians were working from home, accounting for roughly 20% of the Canadian workforce. (Statista)

The percentage of individuals working remotely in Canada has risen dramatically, from four percent before the pandemic to 20% currently. However, when compared to the start of the epidemic, the current figures are still much lower. An estimated 40% of Canadian employees work from home in 2020, according to preliminary data. Large cities like Toronto and Montreal have a larger proportion of remote workers because they have a lot more financial occupations.

136. Over a third of Canadian jobs can be done remotely. (Statistics Canada).

Not every task can be done virtually, but an estimated 40% of all jobs in Canada may be completed remotely. The viability of remote employment varies considerably depending on the sector. In finance and insurance, for example, approximately 85% of employees may work remotely, whereas just 4% of those in the agricultural industries can do so.

137. Around 90% of Canadians feel as productive or more productive working from home. (Huddle).

The majority of Canadian workers have seen their productivity rise or stay the same when compared to in-office labor, according to a new poll. Approximately 41.2% of respondents claimed to have witnessed an improved productivity rate within the 90%. The following factors were identified as leading causes of decreased productivity for those who reported them: childcare, suboptimal working conditions, lack of access to all necessary job paperwork, poor internet connection, and lack of social interaction.

Many people are asking what workforce expectations will look like after the epidemic is over. Employees have noted that working from home has improved their work flexibility, owing to the lack of commute time and more time spent with family. Workers have also claimed higher job contentment, greater autonomy, and money saved as a result of decreased gas usage and fewer daycare expenses.

According to a Statistics Canada survey, 80% of new teleworkers would choose to spend at least half of their weekly hours working from home if given the option. Around 40% said they would prefer to spend a larger proportion, if not all, of their working hours remotely. Only about 20% chose full reversion to in-office employment. People who want an office job have stated a lack of social interaction and reduced chances for career advancement as reasons for leaving teleworking.

138. Individuals with higher education are more likely to work from home (Investment Executive).

58% of workers with at least a bachelor’s degree spent the majority of their time working from home, whereas 7% of those without a high school diploma spent the majority of their time working outside. In-person shifts are more common in service occupations than white-collar office jobs that allow remote work. Workers with less schooling (high school diploma or less) are more likely to be working outside the home and, as a result, are more prone to COVID-19 exposure and employment uncertainty.  

139. Over 50% of teachers prefer to work in the classroom. (Statistics Canada)

More than three times more than the average worker, 54% of surveyed teachers said they preferred doing their job outside the home. Teachers had the highest proportion of opting in for additional indoor work among the careers investigated. 

Virtual teaching has encountered resistance due to straying attention spans, decreases in collaborative work, and interruptions within the natural teacher-student relationship. In addition, environmental and socio-economic variables prevent children from fully participating in school activities.

140. In the first quarter of 2021, 32% of Canadian businesses indicated that remote work was a possibility for their employees within the next three months, compared to 35% in the third quarter of 2020. Only one-quarter of these firms operated almost entirely remotely. Many more were forced by circumstance or choice to make more limited remote employment arrangements. For example, nearly 30% said they had fewer than 30% of their staff working remotely. (Brookfieldinstitute).

141. Larger businesses appear to have a greater capacity for workers to work from home, with 60 percent of firms with 100+ employees claiming that working from home is a possibility in the next three months.

142. More than 70% of organizations working in professional, scientific, and technical services, finance and insurance, and information and cultural industries said that remote work would be a possibility within the next three months. Businesses in these sectors were more likely to embrace entirely or nearly completely remote job possibilities.

143. When it comes to its impact on remote work, only 13% and 6% of businesses in retail and lodging, respectively, said that their operations may be shut down within the next three months. When companies in these sectors shift to remote working, they are considerably more inclined to simply provide partial remote employment opportunities.

144. 80% of new teleworkers would prefer to continue working remotely at least half of the time. (CTV News).

Fun Facts

How Many Users Does Zoom Have?

145. As of July 2021, Zoom has 504,900 customers with more than 10 employees. This is about 36% higher than the same quarter last fiscal year. During 2020 alone, Zoom’s business customer base grew by 470.33%. The company issued 385,200 new licenses. (Backlinko.com).

How many times was Zoom downloaded in Q2 2020?

146. Zoom joined a small list of apps, which includes TikTok and Pokemon Go, that has been downloaded over 300 million times in a single quarter (Sensor Tower).

How Many Schools Use Zoom?

147. Over 90,000 schools used Zoom at the height of the pandemic (Zoom).

How many times was the Zoom mobile app downloaded in 2021?

148. In January of 2021, the Zoom app was downloaded more than 38 million times. (matthewwoodward.co.uk).

How many webinars are hosted on Zoom?

149. In April 2020, Zoom announced the milestone of 300 million daily meeting participants. Today, the software registers over 3.3 trillion annual meeting minutes. (Zoom).

Do people work longer hours when they work from home?

150. According to a poll, more than half of British people worked longer hours when working from home than before the pandemic. According to Hays’ survey of 8,301 professionals and employers, 52% said they worked longer hours remotely than previously. (Hays).

What is the average salary for Remote jobs?

151. The average salary for Remote jobs in the UK is £41,571 (Total Jobs).

152. The typical ZipRecruiter salary in the US is $33,000 (25th percentile) to $93,500 (75th percentile), with top earners earning up to $120,000 each year across the country. (ZipRecruiter).

How Many Breaks Should You Take When Working From Home?

153. Working from home is typically more productive than working in an office, yet you generally spend less time away from work. When working from home, aim for 5-10 minutes of rest every hour. (Remote Working Warriors).

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