40+ Remote Work Statistics & Trends Reshaping the Workplace [2024]

Is the traditional office a thing of the past?  

Curious if the future of your career is in a virtual space?

The latest remote work statistics suggest that 56% of companies allow remote work, while 16% are fully remote.

44% of global companies don’t allow remote work at all.

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

Small companies are 2x more likely to hire full-time remote workers.

Ready to redefine your workspace? Here are the remote work statistics you need to know.

Top Remote Work Statistics: Editor’s Pick

1. Over 62% of employees expected their employers to let them work remotely after the pandemic. ^[6]
2. 56% of companies allow remote work, while 16% are fully remote. ^[1]
3. Remote work is more common in cities with high-income levels. ^[8]
4. 47% of remote workers believe their tools to work comfortably could be improved. ^[8]
5. 1 in 4 US survey respondents would take a pay cut of up to 10% to be able to work remotely. ^[12]
6. 55% of employees work more hours when they’re working remotely. ^[13]
7. Companies that allow remote work see an average increase of $2,000 in profit per remote worker. ^[13]
8. 91% of US employees like working remotely because of a better work-life balance. ^[5]
9. Small companies are 2x more likely to hire full-time remote workers. ^[14]

General Remote Work Statistics

According to the latest remote work statistics, 56% of companies allow remote work, while 16% are fully remote. ^[1]

44% of global companies don’t allow remote work at all. ^[1]

According to an Upwork survey, 73% of all departments are likely to have remote workers by 2028. ^[3]

About 62% of employees aged 22 to 65 are reported to work remotely at least occasionally. ^[2]

Over 62% of employees expected their employers to let them work remotely after the pandemic. ^[6]

41% of employees are likely to work remotely at least some of the time post-pandemic. ^[7]

Remote work is more common in cities with high-income levels. ^[8]

47% of remote workers believe their tools to work comfortably could be improved. ^[8]

Remote Work Earnings Statistics

Do remote workers make the same or less than full-time office workers?

1. The average annual income of remote workers is $4,000 higher than that of other workers. ^[12]
2. Engineers who work remotely earn the most, with 19% of them earning $100k or more. ^[12]
3. The next in line are marketing professionals, with 11%, and creatives, with 8%. ^[12]
4. 61% of American workers are willing to accept a pay cut just to keep working remotely. ^[12]
5. 1 in 4 US survey respondents would take a pay cut of up to 10% to be able to work remotely. ^[12]
6. 55% of employees work more hours when they’re working remotely. ^[13]
7. Companies that allow remote work see an average increase of $2,000 in profit per remote worker. ^[13]
8. It is interesting to note that 55% of employees spend more hours working when they’re working remotely. ^[13]
9. 75% of remote workers earn over $65,000 annually. ^[13]

Remote Hiring Statistics

Who is hiring remote employees?

• Small companies are 2x more likely to hire full-time remote workers. ^[14]
• 71% of US survey respondents agree that the ability to work remotely would help them decide about one employer over another in their next job. ^[14]
• 31% of current remote employees want a hybrid remote work environment moving forward. ^[14]
• 64% of recruiters say that being able to pitch a work-from-home policy helps them find high-quality talent. ^[14]
• In 2017, there was a 50% decrease in resignations in companies that allowed remote work. ^[13]
• US companies that support remote work experience 25% lower employee turnover. ^[13]

Top Industries and Departments for Remote Workers

Wondering which industry offers more remote work?

Here we have listed the top industries with the most remote workers in the US.

Globally, the industries with the most remote workers are government and education, finance and insurance, technology and marketing, healthcare and medical, and manufacturing and industrial.

• In the US, the departments most represented by remote workers are facilities/operations/IT departments with 18% of the remote workforce. ^[8]
• Customer service/support departments come next with 15%.
• Then sales departments (14%), administrative departments (13%), and executive/company leadership departments (7%).

Why Do Employees Prefer Remote Work?

Here we have reviewed the top benefits of working remotely.

1. Better work-life balance. 91% of US employees like working remotely because of a better work-life balance. ^[5]
2. Fewer distractions. 78% of remote employees want to work remotely to avoid distractions. ^[5]
3. Increased productivity. 77% of remote workers reported that they felt more productive while working from home. ^[9]
4. Cost-effective. Remote workers save approximately $7,000 annually in commute costs, food expenses, and childcare. ^[15]
5. Work flexibility. 43% of CEOs embraced remote work due to flexibility. ^[15]
6. Environmentally-friendly. As transportation accounts for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, going remote helped the environment. ^[15]

What Challenges Do Remote Workers Feel?

Is remote work all about roses? Let’s find out!

Workers reported that remote work has the following challenges.

1. Separating work from leisure. In 2019 the biggest challenge remote workers faced was shutting off. ^[10]
2. Loneliness and lack of communication. The second biggest challenge remote workers face is loneliness (19%) and lack of communication with their co-workers (17%). ^[10]
3. Difficulty concentrating at work. 9% of those who’ve worked remotely for only under a year find it difficult to concentrate as opposed to long-term remote workers (4%). ^[10]
4. Lack of training. Only 70% of remote workers get regular training from their company, whereas the rest may choose to find and pay for online courses and training online. ^[10]
5. Less involvement. Remote employees are 16% less likely to state that their manager involves them in the goal-setting process. ^[11]
6. Lack of motivation to work. 8% of remote workers have difficulties staying motivated, so they go to co-working spaces. ^[11]

FAQs 

What are remote work statistics?

According to the latest remote work statistics, 56% of companies allow remote work, while 16% are fully remote.

44% of global companies don’t allow remote work at all.

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

What is the average pay of remote workers?

An average remote, full-time worker earns more than $4,000.

Why are people opting for remote work?

91% of US employees like working remotely because of a better work-life balance.

78% of remote employees want to work remotely to avoid distractions.

77% of remote workers reported that they felt more productive while working from home.

What challenges are faced by remote employees?

In 2019 the biggest challenge remote workers faced was shutting off.

The second biggest challenge remote workers face is loneliness (19%) and lack of communication with their co-workers (17%).

8% of remote workers have difficulties staying motivated, so they go to co-working spaces.

Conclusion 

Remote work was slowly increasing before Covid, and got a major hit during Covid. And workers now do not want to go back to the traditional office schedule. 

According to the latest remote work statistics, 56% of companies allow remote work, while 16% are fully remote.

44% of global companies don’t allow remote work at all.

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

Sources

1. NCCI. Remote Work Before, During, and After the Pandemic
2. Gallup. U.S. Remote Workdays Have Doubled During Pandemic
3. CNBC. 1 in 4 Americans will be working remotely in 2021, Upwork survey reveals
4. Clarkstaff. Why Outsourcing and Hiring Remote Staff Will Forever Be the New Normal?
5. wbur. Productivity, Retention And Cost Savings: Why Working From Home Benefits Employees And Employers
6. Cision. 66% of U.S. Employees Are Working Remotely at Least Part-Time During the COVID-19 Pandemic
7. Gartner. Gartner HR Survey Reveals 41% of Employees Likely to Work Remotely at Least Some of the Time Post Coronavirus Pandemic
8. United States Census Bureau. 2017 ACS 1-year Estimates
9. VentureBeat. Remote work is boosting productivity, study finds
10. Insight. Remote workers struggle most to switch off from work
11. Stanford Graduate School of Business. Does Working from Home Work? Evidence from a Chinese Experiment
12. Gallup. Remote Work Persisting and Trending Permanent
13. Statista. Share of employees who could work from home in the United States in 2017-18, by ethnicity
14. SIA. Remote Work Improves Employee Engagement, Say 62% of Workers
15. FlexJobs. Top 5 Reasons Flexible Work Benefits Employers

Manisha Saini

Manisha is a digital writer providing guidance in career development and growth. She facilitates skill development and implementation of the right strategies for advancement. At Jobera, She documents content around the latest market trend analysis, insights, and career planning.

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