Remote Work Stats to Know Right Now

Get an idea of how remote work is growing, why employees are taking advantage of it, and the opportunities it can provide.

In 2020, workplaces started embracing remote work options more than ever before. Remote work, especially from coworking spaces like NuvoDesk, will become even more common in the future. These remote work stats will give you an idea of how the work style is growing, why employees are taking advantage of it, the opportunities it can provide management, and even a few challenges linked to it.

Remote Workforce Size

As of 2023, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home, while 28.2% work a hybrid model (Forbes)

By 2025, 32.6 million Americans will work remotely (Forbes)

16% of companies operate fully remotely (Forbes)

The highest percentage of remote workers are aged 24 to 35 (Forbes)

Job Types of Remote Workers

The top industry for remote workers in 2024 is computer and IT (Forbes)

• Computer and IT
• Marketing
• Accounting and Finance
• Project Management
• Medical and Health
• HR and Recruiting
• Customer Service

Remote Work Growth

By 2025, an estimated 32.6 million Americans will be working remotely, which equates to about 22% of the workforce. 

4 in 5 employees claim they would “recommend working remotely to a friend” (Gartner)

3 in 10 workers are employed by exclusively remote companies (Statista)

More than half of remote workers started working from home since 2020 (GitLab)

According to an Upwork survey, 73% of all departments are likely to have remote workers by 2028.

The number of workers choosing to work remotely increased by 24% from 2021 to 2022 (Owl Labs)

Recruiting and Job Retention

U.S. companies that support remote work experience 25% lower employee turnover. (Novoresume)

71% of U.S. survey respondents agree that the ability to work remotely would make them more likely to choose one employer over another in their next job. (Novoresume)

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

The gender wage gap persists in remote work. A 2018 study showed that men across the globe are 8% more likely to work remotely than women. At the same time, they’re also more likely to earn six figures working online jobs (13% Vs 8%). (Novoresume)

Remote Employee Productivity and Behaviors

35% of remote employees feel more productive when working fully remotely (Forbes)

Despite increased productivity, according to a report by Indeed, 38% of employees suffer remote work burnout because they feel pressured by their company’s management to work longer hours while 21% say that it is a combination of pressure from managers and customers or clients. (Notta)

89% of employees who work from home are optimistic about work, compared to 77% of those who work in the office. (Notta)

80 percent of remote workers work from home. (Email Analytics)

Earnings and Benefits for Remote Work

Remote workers, on average, earn $19,000 more than in-office workers (Forbes)

48% of remote workers said “decreased stress levels” was the top health benefit from remote work. Additional impacts cited:
— Less burnout (36%)
— Healthier food choices (35%)
— Reduced anxiety and depression (34%)
— Improved overall mental health (33%)
— Improved sleep (32%)
— Increased exercise (30%)
— Improved overall physical health (28%) (FlexJobs)

The ability to work remotely increases employee happiness by as much as 20%. (Tracking Happiness)

According to an Owl Labs report on the State of Remote Work, 91% of US employees like working remotely because of a better work-life balance.

Remote Work Challenges

53% of remote workers say it’s harder to feel connected to their coworkers (Forbes)

One in three remote workers reports their biggest struggle is that they stay home too often because they don’t have a reason to leave. (LinkedIn)

A 2019 State of Remote Report by Buffer, 8% of remote workers have difficulties staying motivated.

Ready to Work Remotely in 2024?

If you’re serious about remote working and want a fun and invigorating place to do so, come tour NuvoDesk! We’ll give you a FREE day pass to see if we are the right fit for you.

Read more on Remote Workers

By Leslie Radford

**Updated February 2024