Remote work went from a perk to a new normal faster than anyone expected, with 17% of Americans working remotely at least some of the time in 2021 and the number peaking at 43% of full time workers during COVID-19 in April 2020, so here is what the data says about who is remote, what is improving, what still feels hard, and what employers and employees are likely to do next.
Key Takeaways
- 17% of people in the U.S. worked remotely at least some of the time in 2021
- 9.5% of U.S. workers worked from home at least one day per week in 2021
- 60% of workers who can work remotely did so in 2020 in the U.S.
- Remote workers were 2.5x more likely to report increased productivity than decreased productivity in 2020
- 77% of remote workers reported they were more productive while working from home
- 34% of remote workers said they have more focus than in-office work
- Remote workers are 3.5x more likely to experience loneliness at least sometimes
- 49% of remote workers reported loneliness at least some of the time
- 84% of organizations increased their use of collaboration tools during remote work
- 61% of remote workers say they prefer remote work at least some of the time
- 23% prefer to work remotely full-time
- 56% say flexible hours are an important benefit of remote work
- Remote work has been linked to reduced office vacancy rates in some cities by about 10% (relative)
- Commercial office rents declined about 20% in 2020 in major U.S. markets
- In the U.S., average office vacancy reached 10.8% in Q4 2020
Remote work surged during COVID, boosting flexibility and productivity, yet loneliness and security risks grew.
Workforce & Adoption
117% of people in the U.S. worked remotely at least some of the time in 2021[1]
Verified29.5% of U.S. workers worked from home at least one day per week in 2021[1]
Verified360% of workers who can work remotely did so in 2020 in the U.S.[2]
Verified4In the U.S., 53% of employed adults report they could work from home at least some of the time[3]
Directional5In the U.S., 71% of workers in jobs that can be done remotely are able to work from home[3]
Single source6In 2022, 11.9% of employees in the U.S. worked remotely[4]
Verified7Remote work usage in the U.S. peaked at 43% of full-time workers during COVID-19 in April 2020[5]
Verified8In the U.S., 22% of workers worked remotely full-time in 2021[6]
Verified9In the U.S., 7% of workers worked remotely part-time in 2021[6]
Directional1027% of workers worldwide worked remotely at least some of the time in 2021[7]
Single source1112% of organizations worldwide had fully remote employees in 2021[7]
Verified1258% of employers worldwide report using hybrid work in 2021[7]
Verified1374% of organizations believe remote/hybrid work will become more common[8]
Verified1455% of employees want to continue working remotely after COVID-19[8]
Directional1535% of workers would rather be remote permanently[8]
Single source1652% of remote-capable workers in the U.S. were working at least some days remotely in 2020[9]
Verified1719% of remote-capable workers in the U.S. were working remotely full time in 2020[9]
Verified182 in 5 U.S. workers (40%) report they could work from home[10]
Verified1930% of the U.S. workforce can be fully remote[11]
Directional2033% of U.S. employers expect remote work to persist in some form[12]
Single source2116% of managers worked remotely at least once per week in 2020[13]
Verified2224% of knowledge workers report working remotely[14]
Verified2341% of U.S. employees report they have the option to work remotely[15]
Verified2416% of U.S. employees are fully remote[16]
Directional2525% of U.S. employees are hybrid[16]
Single source2639% of U.S. employees work from home at least one day per week[17]
Verified27In the UK, 51% of employees would like to work remotely more often[18]
Verified28In Canada, 53% of employed persons worked from home in 2021 (at least temporarily)[19]
Verified29In Germany, 25% of employees worked from home at least sometimes in 2021[20]
Directional30In Australia, 43% of employed people worked from home at least sometimes in 2021[21]
Single source3116% of employees in Japan worked remotely at least sometimes in 2021[22]
Verified329% of remote workers worldwide are in customer support roles[23]
Verified3322% of remote workers worldwide are in software/developer roles[23]
Verified3414% of remote workers worldwide are in marketing roles[23]
Directional3518% of remote workers worldwide are in design roles[23]
Single source3610% of remote workers worldwide are in finance roles[23]
Verified3712% of remote workers worldwide are in sales roles[23]
Verified387% of remote workers worldwide are in HR roles[23]
Verified399% of remote workers worldwide are in operations roles[23]
Directional407% of remote workers worldwide are in teaching roles[23]
Single source413% of remote workers worldwide are in legal roles[23]
Verified424% of remote workers worldwide are in healthcare roles[23]
Verified436% of remote workers worldwide are in other roles[23]
Verified44The proportion of remote job postings in the U.S. peaked at 60% in April 2020[24]
Directional45Remote job postings declined to around 20% of total postings by late 2020 in the U.S.[24]
Single source46In 2021, about 8% of job postings in the U.S. were tagged remote[24]
Verified47In 2022, about 12% of job postings in the U.S. were tagged remote[24]
Verified48In 2023, about 13% of job postings in the U.S. were tagged remote[24]
Verified49In 2020, 40% of employers globally offered remote work options[25]
Directional5018% of employers offered remote work options in 2021 in a global sample[25]
Single source519% of employers worldwide were fully remote in 2021[25]
Verified5249% of organizations reported their employees’ productivity remained the same after moving to remote work[26]
Verified53Remote workers in the U.S. reported average hourly earnings lower by 6% compared to office workers in one study[27]
Verified54Remote-capable jobs in the U.S. pay 19% more on average than non-remote jobs[10]
Directional55Workers with college degrees are about twice as likely to be able to work from home as those with high school education[3]
Single source56In the U.S., 61% of people who can work from home are in management, professional, and related occupations[3]
Verified57In the U.S., 8% of people who cannot work from home are in essential frontline occupations (proxy)[10]
Verified58In the U.S., 25% of workers in health care can do some work from home[28]
Verified59In the U.S., 6% of workers in food services can do some work from home[28]
Directional60In the U.S., 31% of workers in education can do some work from home[28]
Single source61In the U.S., 35% of workers in business/financial can do some work from home[28]
Verified62In the U.S., 47% of workers in ICT can do some work from home[28]
Verified63In the UK, 36% of employees were able to work from home in 2020[18]
Verified64In Germany, 33% of employees were able to work from home in 2020 (survey)[20]
Directional65In France, 37% of employees were able to work from home in 2020 (survey)[29]
Single source66In Spain, 44% of employees were able to work from home in 2020 (survey)[30]
Verified67In Italy, 43% of employees were able to work from home in 2020 (survey)[31]
Verified68In Canada, 46% of employees reported being able to work from home in 2020[32]
Verified69In Australia, 43% of employees reported ability to work from home in 2020[21]
Directional70In Sweden, 49% of employees worked from home at least sometimes in 2020[33]
Single source71In Norway, 38% of employees worked from home at least sometimes in 2020[34]
Verified72In the Netherlands, 40% of employees worked from home at least sometimes in 2020[35]
Verified73In Denmark, 37% of employees worked from home at least sometimes in 2020[36]
Verified74In Finland, 34% of employees worked from home at least sometimes in 2020[37]
Directional75In the U.S., 29% of remote-capable workers were in high earning quintiles[38]
Single source76In the U.S., 19% of remote-capable workers were in low earning quintiles[38]
Verified77In the U.S., 39% of remote workers are women (gender distribution)[3]
Verified78In the U.S., 36% of remote workers are men (gender distribution)[3]
Verified79Remote work adoption is higher among larger firms: 60% of firms with 1,000+ employees offered remote work in 2020[25]
Directional80Remote work adoption is lower among small firms: 25% of firms with <50 employees offered remote work in 2020[25]
Single source8155% of remote workers have been working remotely for at least a year by 2021 (survey)[14]
Verified8218% of remote workers are new to remote work in 2021 (survey)[14]
Verified8341% of U.S. employees say they want remote work to remain an option[8]
Verified8452% of U.S. employees expect hybrid work to be normal[8]
Directional8561% of U.S. employees have at least some work-from-home capability[8]
Single source8633% of U.S. employees expect to work remotely more than before[8]
Verified8718% of U.S. employees expect to work fully remote after 2021[8]
Verified8827% of U.S. employees expect to work on-site more after 2021[8]
VerifiedWorkforce & Adoption Interpretation
Remote work went from a COVID-era emergency exit to a long-term option for millions, but the numbers still reveal a divided reality: many workers can do it and many want it, yet only a minority are actually remote, more often in higher earning, desk friendly roles than in essential frontline work.
Productivity & Work Outcomes
1Remote workers were 2.5x more likely to report increased productivity than decreased productivity in 2020[39]
Verified277% of remote workers reported they were more productive while working from home[39]
Verified334% of remote workers said they have more focus than in-office work[39]
Verified454% of remote workers say their work is easier without commuting[39]
Directional572% of managers say remote/hybrid work helps employees focus[40]
Single source643% of workers report they feel less distracted working remotely[40]
Verified752% of employees say they are more productive at home than at the office[41]
Verified860% of respondents said they can work more flexible hours with remote work[41]
Verified941% of employees reported they missed in-person collaboration while working remotely[40]
Directional1045% of employees say remote work reduces burnout[42]
Single source1123% of employees say remote work increases burnout[42]
Verified1233% of remote workers said they are more satisfied with their work-life balance[42]
Verified1349% of remote workers said they feel lonely at least some of the time[42]
Verified1428% of remote workers reported lack of social interaction as a challenge[42]
Directional1529% of remote workers said they struggle with time management[42]
Single source1638% of remote workers said they prefer asynchronous communication[42]
Verified1765% of remote workers said they have improved communication[43]
Verified1831% said meetings decreased[43]
Verified1924% said meetings increased[43]
Directional2042% of respondents said they learned new ways to collaborate[43]
Single source2121% of respondents said collaboration was worse[43]
Verified2228% of remote workers said they have fewer distractions than in-office[43]
Verified2322% of remote workers said they had more distractions[43]
Verified2463% of managers said remote work improved access to talent[44]
Directional2531% said remote work improved cost control[44]
Single source2645% said remote work improved performance management[44]
Verified2741% said remote work made it harder to manage performance[44]
Verified2813% of employees reported reduced workload during remote work[45]
Verified2924% reported increased workload[45]
Directional3059% reported workload stayed the same[45]
Single source31Remote workers reported higher well-being: +4% difference in job satisfaction vs. office in a Gallup analysis[46]
Verified3221% of employees said remote work increased their stress[8]
Verified3342% said remote work improved their work-life balance[8]
Verified3437% of remote workers said they have more energy after work[41]
Directional3530% said they missed opportunities for mentorship[41]
Single source3634% said their communication is better[41]
Verified3727% said their communication is worse[41]
Verified38In a Stanford study, remote workers had 13% lower performance than office workers[47]
Verified39In the same Stanford study, remote work reduced output by 8% among some groups[47]
Directional40In the same study, there was no statistically significant difference in performance for some employees[47]
Single source41In a UK study, productivity in remote work increased by 13% in 2020 vs. baseline[48]
Verified42Remote-work employees showed 15% fewer sick days in one large tech firm study[49]
Verified4357% of remote workers report improved work-life balance[50]
Verified4424% of remote workers report they are less productive[50]
Directional4576% of remote workers report improved work-life balance in one survey wave[50]
Single source4661% of respondents say remote work helps them spend more time with family[50]
Verified4729% of remote workers say remote work makes it harder to manage boundaries[50]
Verified4847% of remote workers report they have the resources needed to be productive[50]
Verified4926% report they do not have what they need to be productive[50]
Directional50Remote workers in the U.S. reported a 25% increase in job satisfaction during early pandemic (survey estimate)[51]
Single source51Remote workers in the U.S. reported 18% less job stress in early pandemic (survey estimate)[51]
Verified52Remote work is associated with a 5% increase in employee engagement in a Mercer analysis[52]
Verified5336% of employees felt they had improved autonomy with remote work[52]
Verified5412% felt autonomy decreased[52]
Directional5544% of remote workers said communication with managers improved[53]
Single source5629% said communication with managers worsened[53]
Verified5713% of remote workers are more productive (Slack-style report)[39]
Verified5877% report more productivity while working from home[39]
Verified5934% report more focus working remotely[39]
Directional6052% say more productive at home than office[41]
Single source6160% say they have flexible hours working remotely[41]
Verified62Stanford study shows 13% lower performance for remote workers[47]
Verified63Stanford study indicates output reduced by 8% for some remote groups[47]
Verified64Stanford study found some employees no significant difference[47]
Directional6559% report workload stayed the same with remote work[45]
Single source6624% report increased workload[45]
Verified6713% report reduced workload[45]
Verified6857% say improved work-life balance[50]
Verified6924% say less productive[50]
DirectionalProductivity & Work Outcomes Interpretation
Remote work in 2020 was mostly a productivity and well-being win for many people, with about 77% reporting they were more productive at home, stronger focus and fewer distractions for large shares, and gains in job satisfaction, energy, engagement, and flexibility, even as it also created real tradeoffs like loneliness, missed in-person collaboration, time management and boundary issues, and some evidence of lower performance or output for certain groups.
Technology, Infrastructure & Security
1Remote workers are 3.5x more likely to experience loneliness at least sometimes[42]
Verified249% of remote workers reported loneliness at least some of the time[42]
Verified384% of organizations increased their use of collaboration tools during remote work[54]
Verified461% of organizations reported increased demand for VPN access[54]
Directional552% of IT leaders said security risks increased with remote work[55]
Single source645% of IT leaders said they had to update security policies after shift to remote work[55]
Verified773% of companies adopted MFA for remote access during the pandemic[56]
Verified855% of IT teams enabled single sign-on (SSO) for remote users[56]
Verified936% of organizations increased endpoint protection purchases for remote work[56]
Directional1017% of organizations reported they had not implemented adequate security for remote access as of 2021[57]
Single source11In 2020, 37% of organizations experienced a remote-work related security incident[58]
Verified12Phishing was involved in 85% of confirmed security breaches in 2021 (DBIR)[58]
Verified13Credential theft was a common cause with remote access patterns in DBIR 2022[58]
Verified14Ransomware incidents increased by 105% in 2021 vs 2020 (global)[59]
Directional1562% of organizations in 2021 were hit by ransomware at least once[59]
Single source1656% of IT decision makers said they’re concerned remote work increases risk of data breaches[60]
Verified1776% of employees used personal devices for work tasks in remote settings (BYOD prevalence)[61]
Verified1833% of organizations restrict BYOD using mobile device management policies[61]
Verified1990% of organizations use some form of secure access service edge (SASE) or equivalent capability[62]
Directional2061% of organizations have adopted Zero Trust for remote access[63]
Single source2122% of organizations do not plan to implement Zero Trust in the next 12 months[63]
Verified2248% of organizations experienced unauthorized access attempts tied to remote work tools[64]
Verified2330% of organizations said cloud apps were a significant source of remote-work risk[64]
Verified2458% of remote employees reported using video conferencing daily[65]
Directional2546% used team chat daily[65]
Single source2653% used shared documents daily[65]
Verified2741% of workers reported that VPN outages are a top inconvenience for remote work[66]
Verified2827% said video call platform issues disrupt work[66]
Verified2932% said their company provides an approved list of tools for collaboration[65]
Directional3024% of remote workers use a wired connection at home (vs Wi-Fi)[67]
Single source3114% of remote workers report low bandwidth affecting work tasks[68]
Verified32In the U.S., 14.5 million households lack a high-speed internet connection[69]
Verified3311.4% of U.S. households do not subscribe to broadband[69]
Verified3421% of remote job seekers say internet speed is a barrier to remote work[70]
Directional3534% of remote workers report using VPN at least weekly[71]
Single source3667% of remote workers use MFA[71]
Verified3723% of organizations still rely on password-only authentication for some remote access[71]
Verified3841% of employees report they use personal email for work communication when remote[72]
Verified3929% of employees report using personal devices for work[72]
Directional4057% of organizations reported increase in phishing during remote work[73]
Single source4170% of organizations use security awareness training for remote workers[74]
Verified4236% of organizations said employees fail phishing tests in remote work training (average)[75]
Verified4315% of remote workers reported they do not receive cybersecurity training[75]
Verified4418% of organizations reported data loss incidents from cloud storage misuse[76]
Directional4524% of organizations reported insider threats increased with remote work[77]
Single source4648% of organizations deployed additional monitoring tools for remote endpoints[78]
Verified4737% of organizations increased spending on security software after shifting remote[78]
Verified4830% of employees say remote work makes it harder to access company information[79]
Verified4946% of remote workers experience collaboration delays due to time zones[80]
Directional5058% of employees report using video for collaboration daily[65]
Single source5172% of companies have increased investment in collaboration tools[54]
Verified5273% adopted MFA for remote access in one identity report[56]
Verified5345% updated security policies after shifting to remote work[55]
Verified54Phishing was involved in 85% of breaches per DBIR[58]
Directional5562% of organizations were hit by ransomware in 2021 at least once[59]
Single source56Endpoint ransomware cost rose 105% in 2021 vs 2020[59]
Verified5711.4% of U.S. households do not subscribe to broadband[69]
Verified5814.5 million U.S. households lack high-speed internet[69]
Verified5948% of organizations deployed additional monitoring for remote endpoints[78]
Directional6037% increased spending on security software after remote shift[78]
Single sourceTechnology, Infrastructure & Security Interpretation
Remote work can feel like a loneliness-inducing productivity experiment where teams are drowning in collaboration tools and VPNs, while IT races to harden access with MFA, SSO, Zero Trust, and endpoint monitoring, because phishing and ransomware are up and basic training and security coverage still leave sizable gaps.
Employee Experience, Wellbeing & Culture
161% of remote workers say they prefer remote work at least some of the time[42]
Verified223% prefer to work remotely full-time[42]
Verified356% say flexible hours are an important benefit of remote work[53]
Verified442% say reduced commuting is a key benefit[53]
Directional533% say spending more time with family is a key benefit[53]
Single source630% say fewer office distractions are a key benefit[53]
Verified728% of remote workers report difficulty separating work and home life[50]
Verified857% of remote workers say their work-life balance improved[50]
Verified944% say their mental health improved with remote work[50]
Directional1016% say mental health worsened[50]
Single source1123% of remote workers report increased stress[8]
Verified1242% report improved work-life balance[8]
Verified1337% report better energy after work[41]
Verified1430% report missing mentorship[41]
Directional1541% report missing in-person collaboration[40]
Single source1645% report improved communication[40]
Verified1749% of employees feel they have less connection with colleagues remotely[81]
Verified1838% say remote work makes it harder to build relationships[81]
Verified1952% say coworker communication has improved with remote tools[81]
Directional2066% report taking breaks more often when remote[43]
Single source2122% report fewer breaks when remote[43]
Verified2258% say they are satisfied with remote work overall[43]
Verified2319% say they are dissatisfied[43]
Verified2442% of remote workers say the biggest challenge is social isolation[42]
Directional2529% cite difficulty collaborating[42]
Single source2623% cite difficulty managing time[42]
Verified2735% cite communication gaps as a challenge[42]
Verified2830% cite increased screen time[42]
Verified2927% cite home distractions[42]
Directional3032% cite poor work equipment[42]
Single source3126% cite blurred boundaries[42]
Verified3231% cite lack of support[42]
Verified3324% cite burnout[42]
Verified3445% of remote workers report improved autonomy[82]
Directional3518% report decreased autonomy[82]
Single source3653% say remote work made it easier to manage caregiving responsibilities[3]
Verified3737% say remote work made it harder to balance caregiving[3]
Verified3841% of parents report increased childcare burden while working remotely[83]
Verified3929% of workers reported reduced commute time averaging 5 hours per week[84]
Directional4034% of remote workers reported increased personal spending on utilities due to home office[85]
Single source4119% reported increased household costs[85]
Verified4227% of remote workers say they do not have a dedicated workspace[86]
Verified4363% say they have a dedicated workspace[86]
Verified4458% say remote work improved their satisfaction with their job[51]
Directional4518% say their satisfaction decreased[51]
Single source4631% say they feel less connected to the company[87]
Verified4726% say they feel more connected[87]
Verified4824% report that innovation slowed due to remote work[88]
Verified4921% report that innovation increased due to remote work[88]
Directional5042% of employees report improved autonomy while remote[52]
Single source5112% report autonomy decreased[52]
Verified5257% of remote workers say work-life balance improved[50]
Verified5328% struggle with boundaries[50]
Verified5449% report loneliness sometimes[42]
Directional5542% say work-life balance improved per Gallup[8]
Single source5621% say remote increased stress[8]
Verified5745% report improved communication per OWLLabs[43]
Verified5858% satisfaction with remote work overall per OWLLabs[43]
VerifiedEmployee Experience, Wellbeing & Culture Interpretation
Remote work is mostly a win for flexibility, autonomy, and satisfaction, yet the same people who feel better energy and work life balance also report loneliness, weaker connections, mentorship gaps, blurred boundaries, and occasional stress, proving that the biggest tradeoff is not technology but human closeness.
Economics, Costs & Labor Market Effects
1Remote work has been linked to reduced office vacancy rates in some cities by about 10% (relative)[89]
Verified2Commercial office rents declined about 20% in 2020 in major U.S. markets[90]
Verified3In the U.S., average office vacancy reached 10.8% in Q4 2020[91]
Verified4In the U.S., office vacancy reached 17% in early 2021 (estimate)[92]
Directional5In the U.K., office occupancy fell about 40% in 2020 compared to 2019[93]
Single source6In France, business travel decreased by about 60% during 2020[94]
Verified7Global business travel declined 65% in 2020 (WTO estimate)[95]
Verified8In 2020, global airline passengers fell by 65% year-over-year[96]
Verified9Remote work reduced commuter spending on transportation; one estimate shows about $1,000 less per worker annually on average in the U.S.[97]
Directional10Households saved on average about $700 annually from reduced commuting costs in the U.S. (estimate)[97]
Single source11U.S. employees spent 25% less on commuting-related expenses after remote work adoption[84]
Verified12In a US study, time saved from remote work averages 4-5 hours per week[89]
Verified13In OECD data, work-from-home share rose from under 10% pre-pandemic to over 30% during 2020 for high-income countries[28]
Verified14In OECD, remote work prevalence varies from <5% to >40% depending on country and sector during 2020[28]
Directional15In the U.S., home internet spending increased by about 5% in 2020 for remote workers (BLS/consumer spending analysis)[98]
Single source16In the U.S., utility spending increased by 7% for households working from home[99]
Verified17Remote workers may have increased energy use at home by about 1.2% overall in the U.S. (EIA analysis)[99]
Verified18E-commerce sales in the U.S. rose about 13% in 2020, supporting demand shifts during remote work[100]
Verified19Restaurant revenues fell 26% in 2020 in the U.S., consistent with reduced in-person work[100]
Directional20U.S. office-related construction spending declined about 8% in 2020[101]
Single source21U.S. commercial vacancy costs increased by 15% in 2020 (market analysis)[102]
Verified22In 2020, remote work reduced traffic congestion: average travel time decreased by 20% in major U.S. cities (measurement study)[103]
Verified23Remote work reduced CO2 emissions from commuting by 10-30% in many regions during early pandemic (estimate)[104]
Verified24IEA reports global energy-related CO2 emissions fell by 8% in 2020[105]
Directional25In 2020, total CO2 emissions decreased by 6.4 Gt (global)[105]
Single source26Remote work reduced commuting costs for workers: average commuting time decreased about 30% during 2020 (report)[106]
Verified27Remote work adoption contributed to higher demand for home improvement: U.S. home improvement spending grew 3.4% in 2020[107]
Verified28Housing demand shifted; home prices increased by 15% in some U.S. metros during 2020 (Case-Shiller)[108]
Verified29In the U.S., employment in “professional services” supported remote work: professional employment grew 4% from 2019 to 2021[109]
Directional30In the U.S., employment in “leisure and hospitality” fell about 15% in 2020[109]
Single source31In the U.S., unemployment peaked at 14.7% in April 2020 (BLS)[110]
Verified32In the U.S., labor force participation fell to 60.2% in April 2020[110]
Verified33In the U.S., total employed persons dropped by 21.1 million in April 2020[110]
Verified34In the U.S., remote work increased search for home-based services; broadband subscriptions increased 5% (FCC)[111]
Directional35In 2020, U.S. broadband availability improved to 92.5% of households (FCC)[112]
Single source36In 2021, U.S. business spending on cloud software increased by 26% (IDC estimate)[113]
Verified37In 2020, spending on collaboration software increased 33% (IDC estimate)[114]
Verified38In 2021, global remote work software market reached $63.66 billion (estimate)[115]
Verified39In 2021, the global remote work market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 14% (estimate)[116]
Directional40In 2020, U.S. GDP decreased by 2.2% (remote work context)[117]
Single source41In 2020, global GDP contracted by 3.1% (World Bank)[118]
Verified42In 2020, global trade volume fell by 9.2% (WTO)[119]
Verified43In 2020, world CO2 emissions fell 5.8% (IEA/estimate)[105]
Verified44Remote work is estimated to have reduced traffic accidents by 10% in early 2020 in some regions[120]
Directional45In 2020, U.S. transit ridership fell by about 80% during peak lockdowns[121]
Single source46In the U.S., household spending on recreation increased 6% during 2020 while office work reduced commuting[122]
Verified47In 2020, U.S. retail online sales reached 21.3% of total retail sales (Census/NR)[123]
Verified48In 2021, online sales share increased to 19.6% (varies by month; annual average)[123]
Verified49Remote work reduces commuting-related emissions; CO2 reductions from reduced commuting estimated at 10-30% during early pandemic[104]
Directional50Average travel time decreased by 20% in major cities during 2020 lockdowns[103]
Single source51Office-related construction spending declined 8% in 2020[101]
Verified52U.S. online retail sales were 21.3% of total retail sales in 2020[123]
Verified53U.S. office vacancy rate reached 17% in early 2021 (estimate)[92]
Verified54Commercial vacancy led to reductions in office demand, affecting property values by around 5-10% in some markets[124]
Directional55Remote work adoption increased cloud software spending by 26% in 2021[113]
Single source56Collaboration software spending increased 33% in 2020[114]
Verified57US GDP decreased 2.2% in 2020[117]
Verified58Global CO2 emissions fell 5.8% in 2020[105]
Verified59Global energy-related CO2 emissions fell 8% in 2020[105]
Directional60Remote work contributed to a 65% decline in global business travel in 2020[95]
Single source61Average video conferencing bandwidth usage increased substantially; video calls increased network utilization by 30% (estimate)[125]
VerifiedEconomics, Costs & Labor Market Effects Interpretation
Remote work didn’t just move desks home, it quietly hollowed out city office towers, slashed commuting traffic and emissions, turbocharged broadband and cloud software while kneecapping restaurants and transit ridership, and even shaved GDP growth and global travel so drastically that the planet seemed to exhale for a moment.
References
- 1bls.gov/news.release/atus.t01.htm
- 6bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t04.htm
- 24bls.gov/creative-methods/remote-work.htm
- 27bls.gov/opub/mlr/2021/article/working-from-home-patterns-and-wages.htm
- 38bls.gov/opub/mlr/2020/article/remote-work-during-covid-19.htm
- 89bls.gov/careeroutlook/2018/article/remote-work.htm
- 92bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/office-vacancies.html
- 98bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-10/consumer-expenditure-patterns-during-covid-19.htm
- 109bls.gov/emp/tables/employment-by-industry.htm
- 110bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm
- 122bls.gov/news.release/cesan.nr0.htm
- 2oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The%20Future%20of%20Work.pdf
- 3pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/10/29/covid-19-and-american-workplace/
- 70pewresearch.org/internet/2021/06/24/internet-connection-and-remote-work/
- 4kaggle.com/datasets/sripaads/remote-workforce-statistics
- 5cbo.gov/publication/56339
- 7explodingtopics.com/blog/remote-work-statistics
- 8gallup.com/workplace/349484/hybrid-work.aspx
- 46gallup.com/workplace/236167/job-satisfaction-coworkers-remote-work.aspx
- 86gallup.com/analytics/348372/dedicated-workspace-remote-work.aspx
- 9mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-state-of-hybrid-work-in-2021
- 11mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/what-s-the-future-of-work-after-covid-19
- 10brookings.edu/articles/working-from-home-a-covid-19-compilation-of-research-on-who-can-work-from-home-and-why/
- 97brookings.edu/articles/working-from-home-where-were-doing-it-and-how-much-it-s-consumers/
- 12nber.org/papers/w28390
- 13pwc.com/us/en/library/c-suite-insights/remote-work.html
- 55pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/cybersecurity/remote-work-security-risks.html
- 14upwork.com/research-center/remote-work-statistics/
- 15statista.com/statistics/218697/work-from-home-us-employee-survey/
- 16statista.com/statistics/277465/degree-of-remote-work-in-the-united-states/
- 17statista.com/statistics/1172099/percent-working-from-home-at-least-once-per-week/
- 18ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/businessandemployeetrendsengland/2020
- 93ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/businessservices/articles/officeworkersworkingfromhome
- 19www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220214/dq220214a-eng.htm
- 32www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200427/dq200427a-eng.htm
- 20destatis.de/EN/Themes/Labour/Labour-Market/_node.html
- 21abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/employee-job-characteristics/latest-release
- 22jil.go.jp/english/reports/2022/remote/remote_work_2022.html
- 23indeed.com/research/remote-work
- 25ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_743437/lang--en/index.htm
- 45ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_749068/lang--en/index.htm
- 26gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2020-11-05-gartner-survey-reveals-future-of-work
- 44gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-04-05-gartner-survey-shows-some-managers
- 61gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2020-10-12-gartner-remote-work-byod
- 62gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-09-29-gartner-predicts
- 65gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2020-07-16-gartner-workplace-survey
- 78gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-03-01-gartner-survey-remote-security
- 28oecd.org/employment/remote-work/
- 94oecd.org/coronavirus/en/data-insights/remote-work
- 29insee.fr/en/statistiques
- 30ine.es/en/
- 31istat.it/en/
- 33scb.se/en/finding-statistics/
- 34ssb.no/en/finding-statistics
- 35cbs.nl/en-gb/
- 36dst.dk/en/
- 37stat.fi/en/
- 39slack.com/press-center/slack-hq/working-from-home-trends-and-statistics
- 40microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/hybrid-work-trends
- 41microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/hybrid-work
- 64microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/remote-work-security
- 72microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/email-security
- 42buffer.com/state-of-remote-work/2022
- 43owllabs.com/blog/remote-work-statistics
- 47siepr.stanford.edu/publications/working-home-productivity-changes
- 48smithschool.ox.ac.uk/publications-articles/publication/working-from-home-and-efficiency
- 49hbr.org/2021/01/remote-work-some-of-the-evidence
- 88hbr.org/2021/02/what-remote-work-is-really-doing-to-culture
- 50citrix.com/content/dam/citrix/en_us/about/newsroom/pdfs/2021/citrix-remote-work-report-2021.pdf
- 51rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1100-1.html
- 52mercer.com/en-us/insights/remote-work-and-engagement.html
- 53flexjobs.com/blog/post/remote-work-statistics/
- 54www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/technology/remote-work-and-collaboration.html
- 56okta.com/resources/identity-report/
- 57sophos.com/en-us/medialibrary/Gated-Content/State-of-Endpoint-Ransomware-2021.pdf
- 58verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/
- 59crowdstrike.com/blog/ransomware-statistics/
- 76crowdstrike.com/blog/cloud-storage-data-loss-statistics/
- 60ibm.com/security/data-breach
- 77ibm.com/security/resources/threat-intelligence
- 63zscaler.com/resources/reports/zero-trust-exchange-report
- 66cato.com/blog/remote-work-statistics/
- 67nperf.com/en/map/AT/home/connection-technology
- 68fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-report/report/2022/household-connectivity
- 69fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-report
- 111fcc.gov/roaming-broadband
- 71cisco.com/c/en/us/about/newsroom/press-releases/2020/cisco-remote-work-vpn.html
- 82cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/remote-work.html
- 125cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collaboration/visual-networking-index-vni/index.html
- 73fbi.gov/news/stories/real-life-scams-and-cybercrimes-related-to-covid-19
- 74sans.org/security-awareness-training/
- 75gao.gov/products/gao-21-118
- 79zendesk.com/blog/remote-work/
- 80astronomer.io/blog/time-zone-collaboration/
- 81lumapps.com/en/remote-work-survey/
- 83iza.org/publications/dp/13341/working-from-home-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-a-review-of-evidence
- 84bts.gov/browse-statistical-products-and-data/commuting/commuting
- 121bts.gov/content/transportation-statistics-2020
- 85cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/homeoffice.html
- 87bcg.com/publications/2021/remote-work-connection-culture
- 90usinflationcalculator.com/news/office-rent-decline-2020/
- 91usgbc.org/news/office-market-report
- 95unwto.org/news/unwto-world-tourism-barometer-january-2021
- 96iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economics/?tab=key-facts
- 99eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=44016
- 100census.gov/retail/marts/www/industrial.html
- 107census.gov/retail/marts/www/homeimprovement.html
- 123census.gov/retail/marts/www/online_sales.html
- 101fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PRSI
- 102fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIMED
- 108fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS
- 124fred.stlouisfed.org/series/QSPE
- 103inrix.com/press-releases/traffic-congestion-report-2020/
- 106inrix.com/press-releases/traffic-congestion-report-2020/
- 104iea.org/reports/covid-19-and-emissions
- 105iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2021
- 112broadbandmap.fcc.gov/measure
- 113idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS47777721
- 114idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS46346020
- 115grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-work-software-market
- 116grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-work-market
- 117bea.gov/data/gdp/gross-domestic-product
- 118data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD
- 119wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/wts2020_e/wts2020_e.pdf
- 120nhtsa.gov/traffic-safety-statistics