Productivity and Remote work is becoming more commonplace by the year.

In this post, we will examine productivity statistics on remote work productivity to determine the efficacy of working remotely.

People who dislike the routine and sterility of office life find the freedom to work whenever they want and with more flexible hours very appealing. Many employees willingly give up paid time off, raises, and even retirement savings to work remotely.

We’ve compiled a list of fascinating remote work statistics to show how widespread this trend has become. We aim to help employers and employees create the best working environment possible.

The following questions were gathered to learn about remote work statistics:

  • How has the acceptance of remote work changed in the last few years?
  • What are the current trends in remote work in 2022 – 2023?
  • How flexible are jobs, and what percentage of businesses offer this?
  • How many people do they employ who work from home?
  • What types of people work from home?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of working from home?
  • What can we anticipate in the future about remote work productivity?

Key Remote Work Productivity Statistics

  1. The percentage of employers offering remote work opportunities has increased by 400% since 2010
  2. In 2015, 3.7 million employees (2.8% of the workforce) worked from home at least half the time, an increase of 115% since 2005.
  3. The number of people working from home grew by 173% between 2005 and 2012
  4. In 2012, an estimated 13.4 million people in the US did some or all of their work from home
  5. The number of self-employed people has increased by 60% since 2001
  6. 59% of employees say they would be more productive if they could work from home
  7. At least 60% of North Americans believe that the most appealing aspect of remote work is its schedule flexibility.
  8. Only 21% of businesses use remote workers, or more than one in every five.
  9. Businesses that allow remote work have a 25% lower employee turnover rate.
  10. More than 76% of workers say they would be more likely to stay with their current employer if they could work flexible hours.
  11. People who work remotely at least once a month are 24% more likely to be content and productive.
  12. Since 2005, the number of people working from home has increased by 140%.
  13. According to remote work productivity statistics by the US Census Bureau, 4.3 million Americans work at home for at least half of their working hours.

General Remote Work Statistics

General Remote Work Statistics

  1. Only 44% of companies worldwide allow remote work.
    Even though more and more people are beginning to understand the benefits of flexible employment, nearly half of businesses still prohibit remote work. It’s also important to remember that just because a company says it allows remote work doesn’t mean it does. In reality, this figure could be much higher.
  2. According to the University of Phoenix and Convergys, over 4.3 million Americans work from home at least half of the time.
    According to Telecommuting Statistics 2018, there are 5.7 million remote workers in the United States, accounting for 3.2% of the total workforce. According to the same study, US businesses offered remote work as a substitute 40% more frequently in 2023 than in 2010.
  3. The number of people working from home has increased 140% since 2005.
    Thanks to technological advancements, almost anyone can complete their daily tasks at home with minimal effort. Over the last ten years, more people have worked from home than in any other industry. According to statistics, full-time employees are four times more likely than part-timers to be offered remote work.
  4. Small businesses are twice as likely as large businesses to hire full-time remote workers.
    According to data on people who work from home, small businesses are more likely to hire full-time remote workers. There’s a reason for this: remote workers save businesses money because they don’t require office space, electricity, or equipment purchases. Sales-focused employers hired 66% more remote workers than other employers.
  5. Telecommuting has grown 115% in the last ten years.
    According to these statistics, remote work has grown ten times faster than other professions. As a result, we can conclude that remote work is becoming increasingly common. Working from home will undoubtedly continue to be popular in the future.
  6. Only 16% of businesses use only remote workers.
    Even though 44% of global businesses prohibit remote work, 16% do. The most common hybrid businesses are those that employ both local and remote employees; they may provide employers with the best of both worlds.
  7. By 2028, 73% of all departments will employ remote workers.
    Given what we’ve said about millennials and their professional goals, Upwork provides valuable insight into the future of remote work. Millennials and Gen Zers will make up 58% of the workforce in 2028, up from 38% today. It should come as no surprise that 33% of workers will be remote, and nearly 75% of businesses will hire some remote workers.
  8. 52% of all workers worldwide work from home at least once weekly.
    According to 2018 statistics, more than half of workers worldwide now take advantage of workplace flexibility, and this percentage is unlikely to decrease anytime soon. A similar figure was discovered in the same study from 2017, which focused solely on the United States. Is this another example of the rest of the world attempting to compete with America?
  9. An estimated 18% of people work from home.
    According to the survey, roughly 75% of participants worked at least one day per week, with less than a fifth working only once per month. However, 32% of respondents never work remotely because they are unable or unwilling to do so. Furthermore, there is a slight gender difference in the likelihood of working remotely, with men being 8% more likely than women.

Working from Home Statistics

Working from Home Statistics

Working from home for one week appeals to 77% of prospective employees.

For 77% of unemployed people, one day of remote work per week suffices. With 70% of prospective employees praising them, free snacks and drinks rank second in popularity among benefits. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said they would prefer a casual dress code, while 67% said they would prefer social activities. Surprisingly, according to these remote employment statistics, 14% of respondents prefer not to have access to social media at work.

According to a recent survey, 84% of remote workers prefer to work from home.

The fourth option is to work remotely. Suppose employees are confident in their job security. In that case, they can choose their working hours and location, which may be advantageous if they have other obligations such as raising children or caring for other family members that limit their availability. These people have the freedom to work whenever and wherever they want, but the majority prefer to work from home. Workplace cafeterias (coffee shops and cafés) were chosen by only 8% of remote workers, ranking them fifth. While 0% of people go to libraries, 4% go to coffee shops and cafes. As a result, many people associate remote work with working from home.

According to 75% of respondents in a CNBC survey of 1,000 remote workers, their company does not cover the cost of home internet.

Statistics also show that remote work has costs that most people do not consider. Because the company does not provide Internet access, three-quarters of remote employees must pay for it. 18% of employees say their employer covers the entire cost, while 7% say it is only partially covered.

According to 2018 data, 65% of people believe they work best from home.

However, according to these statistics from 2018, only 3% of respondents felt their productivity was lower when working from home, while 32% said there was no discernible difference. Furthermore, when asked what they want most (49%), the office (26%) comes in second, but only if working from home is not an option at their company.

Advantages of Working From Home

Advantages of Working From Home

According to a recent survey, 75% of people who work remotely do so because of fewer distractions.

According to remote work productivity statistics, most people believe that working from home has fewer distractions. 74% of respondents said they work remotely to avoid coworker interruptions, which are a major source of these disruptions. Even if they aren’t bothering others all the time, they contribute to the overall office noise, which irritates 60% of respondents.

76% of employees say they would be more likely to stay with their current employer if they could work flexible hours.

Even though remote work increases employee satisfaction and engagement, 44% of companies still prohibit it. According to these remote work productivity statistics, 97% of respondents said they would prefer a flexible work schedule in the long run.

Working remotely may make you feel more at ease, according to 88% of respondents.

Because stress is one of the leading causes of death in today’s society, all employees should make an effort to reduce it. Most of our poll respondents believe that working remotely helps to reduce stress. Working remotely helps people live healthier lives by allowing them to have a healthier diet, more exercise, and an overall healthier lifestyle.

According to some statistics, 21% of employees would sacrifice their vacation time to have flexible work arrangements.

More than one-third of respondents said a flexible work environment would be worth any financial loss, as would giving up more than one-fifth of their vacation time. Surprisingly, 28% of respondents said they would take a 10-20% pay cut to work from home. 21% value workplace flexibility more than employer-sponsored retirement contributions.

More than 70% of the current workforce would prefer a more flexible workspace over other work benefits.

According to 2016 data, millennials prefer flexible work arrangements more than previous generations. According to projections, millennials will make up half the workforce by 2020. As a result, companies that want to keep their employees happy must consider flexibility one of their most important benefits.

Employee turnover is 25% lower in companies that allow remote work than those that do not.

According to data from Owl Laboratories’ 2017 State of Remote Work study, companies that allow remote work lost 9% of their employees compared to 12% of those that don’t. This may appear a little different, but it still demonstrates how these two variables are related. Employee satisfaction and loyalty will rise as more businesses offer remote work as an alternative.

According to our 2018 telecommuting survey, 40% of respondents value the flexibility of a remote job the most.

According to more recent remote work statistics from 2019, employees value the freedom to work anywhere (30%), spend time with their families (14%), or work from home (13%). Working remotely improved work-life balance and increased employee satisfaction.

According to a recent survey, only 28% of remote workers have the option to take as much time off as they need.

Regarding vacation, nearly half of all remote workers (48%) choose only two or three weeks per year. Furthermore, 10% are satisfied with just one week, while 5% are satisfied with even less. 5% of employees do not take any vacation. This is one of the reasons why remote workers typically outperform the average.

Half-time telecommuters save 11 days per year by not driving to work.

Employees who work remotely only half the time save 11 days per year in travel time. Instead of sitting in traffic, they could use this time productively around the house. This reduces stress and improves employee health.

Telecommuters earn $4,000 more per year than other employees on average.

Employees typically have to prove themselves before being given the option to work remotely, according to these 2017 telecommuting statistics. As a result, we expect them to be more experienced and command a higher salary. This is a significant advantage of working remotely and may inspire others to pursue a flexible career path.

In 2015, telecommuting saved employers $44 billion.

Employees may benefit from working from home being advantageous to employers. Businesses could save $44 billion in 2015 by allowing employees to work remotely. According to these statistics on working from home, each company saves $11,000 per year. They were not required to provide a workspace or to pay for expenses such as travel, equipment, electricity, and internet.

Telecommuters currently reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 600,000 cars.

Working remotely has been proven to benefit everyone involved—employees, employers, and the environment. Employees who work from home travel less frequently, reducing the amount of pollution they produce. When we consider employees who would prefer to work from home but are currently unable to do so, we would see an annual reduction in harmful gases equal to the emissions from 10 million vehicles.

If you work remotely at least once a month, you are 24% more likely to be satisfied and productive.

According to the study, only one remote workday per month is required for employees to be satisfied and effective. Because they can work remotely, 35% of respondents believe they have a better chance of finding good employment overall. According to the working from home statistics we’ve seen thus far, quality employers are also more likely to offer remote work options.

 

Issues with Remote Work Statistics

Issues with Remote Work Statistics

The most common issue for 22% of remote workers is staying connected after work.

It may be difficult to put your work aside and enjoy your free time when you have so much freedom. At least 22% of remote workers are in this situation. According to these statistics on work from home, loneliness is a significant issue. Loneliness is the most serious problem for 19% of workers.

Furthermore, 17% of remote workers believe their job prevents them from participating in routine office conversations.

86% of workers prefer to work alone to be as productive as possible.

Having companionship while working remotely would be beneficial if you can handle some workplace solitude. According to a recent FlexJobs survey, 86 percent of workers enjoy working alone. Working from home increases productivity and allows them to perform to the best of their abilities. Loud coworkers are a major source of frustration for 61% of respondents, and 40% dislike impromptu meetings.

74% of employees said they would leave their current job if offered more flexible opportunities elsewhere.

Working from home occasionally is a significant incentive for 74% of workers, and 64% say they would like to leave their current job. This is one factor contributing to non-supporters having higher turnover rates than supporters. According to statistics on remote work from home, 85% of workers want their employers to provide them with the technology they need to work remotely.

According to a recent survey, 51% of workers said they would prefer to work from home at least occasionally in the previous year.

The word “officially” is important because only 27% of those who begin working from home complete it. Surprisingly, 73% of businesses still require employees to come to work in the office. This is one of the factors that makes the majority of telecommuting statistics suspect. Businesses do not always implement policies that they claim to support simply because they say so.

Self-employed people are 20% more likely than average workers to work from home.

Individual contributors are more likely to be remote because their work is frequently solitary, so it’s primarily for those who can work alone, such as individual contributors. In the previous year’s survey, individual contributors were twice as likely to be remote as managers. However, according to a 2018 study on telecommuting statistics, individual contributors are the least likely to work remotely. As a result, we can conclude that all or none of an individual contributor’s work is performed remotely.

Employees who work entirely remotely are only 30% as engaged as those who have never worked remotely before.

Surprisingly, a balance appears to exist between employee engagement and remote work. According to one study, people who have never worked remotely and those who do so exclusively have the same level of involvement. People who work remotely 60-80% of the time have the highest level of commitment, at 41%, according to 2016 statistics.

Brainstorming is the most difficult meeting format for remote workers.

This makes sense, given that brainstorming aims to move quickly, have fun, and spout ideas around the room. Regarding difficulties, all-hands and collaborative meetings came in second, followed by strategic planning meetings. The most manageable meetings are one-on-ones and stand-up meetings.

Flexible time is more appealing to 55.78% of people with a bachelor’s degree, according to a survey.

According to the remote employment survey, many people pursue higher education to expand their employment options. 32% of those polled said they would prefer a flexible managerial or higher position schedule.

Faqs

Does remote work decrease productivity?

No, it does not. Recent research has revealed that remote work productivity has improved results while working from home, which is significantly higher than those in an office setting. On average, remote workers cut their unproductive time by 10 minutes a day and work one more day per week compared to the traditional 8-5 schedule; yet are still 47% more productive!

How do remote workers track productivity?

You can easily stay on top of every employee’s performance and remote work productivity and hours with a time-tracking tool. Moreover, these applications provide features such as deadline reminders, attendance monitoring, invoicing capabilities, third-party app integration, and reporting for easy analysis. Utilizing this simple solution keeps your business operations running smoothly by ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently and accurately.

What effect does remote work have on employee productivity?

Numerous research indicates that remote working can significantly improve productivity. ConnectSolution’s survey revealed an astounding statistic: 77% of participants reported enhanced remote work productivity when working from home, and 30% achieved more in less time while 24% managed to do the same amount but faster.

Are remote teams more productive?

According to the Harvard Business Review, remote employees may be more productive than those who work in an office setting. This is due to their lower likelihood of taking time off and quitting. Furthermore, a separate study found that employees who opt for remote working can save up to $4,500 annually on commuting expenses! Thus, opting for remote working has both productivity and financial benefits.

 

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Sources for this article on remote work productivity statistics:

 

petri maatta, CEO
Petri Maatta

Petri Maatta is a photographer, filmmaker, and webdesigner who has been working for over 20 years in the creative industry. Fascinated by manifesting for business reasons, Petri was determined to find out what it took to create success. He started his career with seven years of business failures before he found success by learning about manifesting from a mentor with a Fortune 500 company. Today Petri shares his knowledge through DreamMaker courses designed to help people change their businesses and lives while living on their terms.

Read My Story here.

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