21+ Working from Home Stats that Will Surprise You in 2024

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Remote work is the new normal now that the world is still reeling from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. The remote workforce, however, is not totally new.

In fact, it has been in existence for ages. The past decades gave it a more concrete form with the advent of technology. The advances in computers and mobile devices led to the increasing trend in working from home stats. But still, the US working population is more used to the office-based work setup.

When the pandemic hit, most employers were forced to consider the viability of working from home. So, work from home employees became the norm where previously this used to be a perk that only a small percentage of the workforce could enjoy.

To understand this trend better, let’s take a look at the working from home stats for 2021.

Surprising Remote Work Statistics (Editor’s Picks) 

  • The percentage of the employees working from home full-time is at 42%.
  • About 80% of employees working remotely enjoy spending time with their families.
  • VP-level positions make up the bulk of remote employees at 46%.
  • Before the pandemic, only one out of five employees were working from home.
  • About 42% of employees enjoying the remote work perks have advanced degrees.
  • Around 83% of employers believe the shift to work from home is successful.
  • When it comes to remote work productivity, 74% of American workers are not pressured to be productive in the work from home setup.
  • Around 32% of employees point to flexible schedules as a top benefit of working from home.

General Work from Home Statistics 

1. 99% of respondents overwhelmingly elected to work remotely.

Source: Buffer

For at least some of the time for the rest of their careers, surveyed participants want to be able to work remotely. The data was collected by Buffer from almost 2,500 remote workers. The result implies that remote workforce is no longer just a trend but fast becoming a part of the norm.

What’s more:

The same survey also found that 95% of remote workers would recommend working from home to their family, friends, and coworkers.

2. Around 68% want to work in the office between two and four days every week.

Source: Sifted

While many people are increasingly realizing the convenience of a remote work setup, more than half of surveyed respondents for flexa.com are still open to working in the office several times a week. 

These job statistics clearly show that most of them want to split their working time between the office and the home, creating a more balanced work and life experience. This is one of the jobs expectations that prove why working in the office will not be totally eliminated, despite the changing needs of employees and advances in technology.

3. Only one in five employees were working from home all or most of the time before the pandemic.

Source: Pew Research

According to statistics on work from home, 20% of employed adults were working from home before the coronavirus outbreak. This number is a far cry from the remote workers statistics almost a year from the very start of the pandemic. Companies scrambled to adapt to the new normal, allowing their employees to work from home for months on end. At present, 71% of those workers are working from home most or all of the time.

4. Since starting to work from home, 80% enjoy seeing their family during the day.

Source: Zapier

One of the biggest challenges for people who work in the office is the time they need to spend away from their family while they devote most of their day to work. Now that they work from home, they have more time to bond with their loved ones. In fact, remote worker statistics found that around one in every three remote employees claim they are working fewer hours.

5. Workforce stats reveal 46% of remote workers are in VP-level positions.

Source: Owl Labs

Senior executives and those with higher positions do remote work at least once per week. This is 34% more than those in lower job levels.

On the other hand, job levels with the biggest percentages of on-site workers belong to individual contributors, amounting to 52%.

US Working from Home Statistics 

working from home stats

6. According to working from home statistics for 2019, only 7% of civilian workers in the US had access to flexible workplace benefits or telework before the pandemic.

Source: Pew Research

Workplace statistics show that this percentage is more or less equivalent to approximately 9.8 million remote workers. The National Compensation Survey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that only a handful of employees benefit from telework. The majority of those who do have access are in higher-level positions like that of managers and other white-collar professionals with higher compensations.

7. Of all occupations in the private sector, 24% of workers with remote work access come from management, business, and financial fields.

Source: Pre Research

Telework opportunities are mostly available to corporate executives, financial analysts, insurance underwriters, IT managers, and accountants. Other professional workers, such as software designers, scientists, lawyers, and engineers, make up 14% of those with access to remote work.

In contrast, only 1% of service industry workers can access telework. This is the lowest share of major occupational groups, alongside construction workers. Telecommuting statistics illustrate the varying needs of different occupations. Due to their nature of work, remote work remains impossible for them.

8. Around 42% of employees with access to telework have advanced degrees.

Source: CNBC

A survey of workers 25 and above found that an advanced degree can more likely perform some work at home compared to those with low educational attainment. 

In contrast, only 12% of workers with a high school diploma have opportunities to work remotely. They’re primarily blue-collar and low-wage workers in construction, fast-food, and manufacturing industries whose jobs require them to be physically present. This clearly illustrates that working from home telecommuting will not work for all occupations.

9. 74% of American workers don’t feel pressured to be more productive while working from home.

Source: Zapier

One of the many concerns about working from home is tracking accountability. Remarkably, most Americans don’t feel the pressure to prove that they are working and productive. Around 77% even say their managers don’t expect them to respond instantly. This changes the views of most people about work from home productivity.

Advantages of Remote Work 

10. A flexible schedule is the top benefit for 32% of remote workers.

Source: WeForum, Buffer

According to most job satisfaction statistics and facts, one of the biggest advantages of working from home is the ability to work at a suitable time. This gives people more time to spend with their families, a benefit cited by 14% of remote employees.

11. About 3.9 million employees who worked from home before the pandemic helped reduce greenhouse emissions.

Source: Flexjobs

There is a positive impact to working remotely, significantly lowering the harmful gas emissions due to traveling to and from work. In fact, it has taken more than 600,000 cars off the road for an entire year. It has also led to oil savings of $980 million.

Key takeaway:

Working from home after COVID-19 is a good consideration for businesses wanting to contribute to environmental efforts. Share on X

12. Around 72% of employers say remote work has a positive impact on employee retention.

Source: BHCA Group

Another benefit of work from home is the increase in employee retention. About 90% of employees cited flexible work arrangements as a boost to morale, which means they are more likely to enjoy their job and stay compared to those who are not being offered flexibility. 

45% of remote workers have kept their current job position for five years or more. Share on X

13. About 36% of employees will choose the opportunity of working from home over a pay rise, telecommuting statistics reveal.

Source: Global Workplace Analytics

People are often drawn to flexible work arrangements. Many prefer this benefit over receiving higher compensation. Around 37% of technology professionals are even willing to take a 10% pay cut if it means they can work from home. Work from home is a job perk that puts most companies in a favorable light in the eyes of many employees.

Challenges of Working from Home 

14. 75% of workers experience burnout at work.

Source: Flexjobs

It’s no secret that working from home could be more stressful for many, largely due to longer working hours. The pandemic made things worse, with 37% of remote workers claiming they are working longer hours than usual. 

Despite this challenge, they are not receiving the support they needed. In fact, only one in five have open, productive conversations about solutions to work burnout.

15. Managing distractions at home is the biggest challenge for 47% of remote workers, according to stress statistics.

Source: Statista

Working from home clearly has its perks, but many are feeling its downsides, too. Many remote employees struggle against interference at home. This adds to their stress as they scramble to make up for lost time and work longer hours just to complete their assigned task for the day, often electing to work outside conventional working hours.  

16. Unplugging after work is another struggle for remote workers, with 22% citing this as a top challenge, working from home stats reveal.

Source: WeForum

It’s easy to blur the lines between work and personal life when it comes to working from home. That’s why many employees find it hard to unplug after work hours, often spending longer hours at work than they would in the office. They find it hard to separate their work life from their professional life due to the absence of defined office hours and change of location. 

Meanwhile, 19% of remote workers cite loneliness as their main struggle.

17. Vacation leaves are not a priority for remote employees, with 43% taking just three weeks or less paid vacation leave every year.

Source: Hubspot

No wonder work burnout is common among work from home employees. Many are less likely to take time off when they work from home than they would when they are working at their business location. This could lead them to render more hours at work, skewing the ideal work-life balance that would lead to a healthier life.

18. About 72% of remote workers don’t have a dedicated office space.

Source: Forbes

Since distractions at home are a top challenge for many remote employees, it’s worth noting that most of them are not making use of a dedicated space for work. Remote work statistics found that around 28.5% work from their master bedroom. This only compounds the difficulty of remaining focused at work, which in turn can affect their job performance and productivity.

Working from Home during COVID-19 

19. Before the pandemic, only 17% of US employees were working from home five days or more every week.

Source: Statista

This number rose to 44% when COVID-19 forced millions of workers to work remotely due to quarantines and lockdowns, working from home stats during COVID tell us. Working from home has become a viable option for those whose roles can be done with the support of technology.

20. According to working from home stats for 2020, the shift to working from home has been a success for 83% of employers.

Source: PWC

There is an evident change in attitudes toward remote work as more people embrace its upsides. The majority of employers consider the shift to remote work a successful strategy for their companies, thanks in no small part to Zoom meetings and other video conferencing tools. 

That being said, office work isn’t going anywhere. Only 13% of executives are prepared to eliminate office work for good, with 87% of employees citing the office as important in team collaboration and employee relationships.

21. 29% of workers are not at all concerned about exposure to the Coronavirus at their workplace, working from home stats confirm.

Source: Gallup

Lockdowns and quarantines were imposed to stem the rise of COVID-19 cases, forcing the majority of the working population to work from home. Despite this, many were not concerned about being exposed to coronavirus in their workplace. 

Here’s the deal:

Only 11% said they are very concerned, while 34% stated they are only moderately concerned. More or less, Americans are confident that they can protect themselves from the contagious virus.

22. Around 35% of remote workers during the pandemic would like to continue working from home.

Source: Gallup

Statistics on working from home reveal that almost two-thirds of the workforce that worked remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic would maintain their current setup for personal preference. Those who want to continue their remote work because of the concern about COVID-19 are at 30%. Meanwhile, 35% would rather return to office work.

In Conclusion 

The idea of remote work has been revolutionized during the past year. The pandemic has made employers see that this work arrangement can work, and more employees consider this an attractive benefit. The latest working from home stats this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.  

FAQ 

Q: How many people work from home? 

One in four Americans works from home in 2021, a massive leap from the number of remote workers before the pandemic hit. Experts say that the projected number of Americans who will work remotely will amount to 36.2 million by 2025, showing an astonishing 87% increase from the pre-pandemic levels.

Q: What percentage of the workforce is working from home? 

An incredible 42% of the US labor force are working from home full-time. To put it into perspective, the US workforce statistics put the total labor workforce at 160.21 million people as of February 2021. This lends credence to the claim that the country is now a working-from-home economy. The number of employees working from home is almost double of those who are working from the business premises. The latter comprises 26%, mostly essential service workers.

Q: What is best about working from home? 

Working from home studies show there are plenty of benefits. One of the best-cited benefits is schedule flexibility. People are less pressured to show up at work, eliminating the need to commute to and from work. In the process, most are able to save time, energy, and cost, which translates to a more balanced life. This is good news, especially when we consider the work life balance stats that say 66% of American workers lack such privilege.

Q: Is working from home effective? 

It largely depends on one’s adaption to the change in work setup. Some employees find working from home less demanding, as they can devote more time to their family and hobbies. However, there are some who find distractions at home a challenge. There is also a tendency for many to spend longer hours at work, mainly due to the blurred lines between personal and professional life. There is no fixed schedule to follow, and there is no change in location signalling the start and end of work.

Working from home stats reveal employees work 1.4 more days per month when they are working at home compared to when they were working at a business location. This translates to more than three additional weeks of work that remote employees render every year.

Sources: