As the world has shifted to work from home, many companies are discovering the benefits of remote work.
Published On:
October 1, 2023
As the world has shifted to work from home, many companies are discovering the benefits of remote work. However, working from home can also present unique challenges to employee productivity. Here are 45 statistics that show how remote work has impacted productivity.
Top 10 Work from Home Productivity Statistics
77% of remote workers report higher productivity levels. (CoSo Cloud)
Remote workers put in 1.4 more days per month, or 16.8 more days per year than office-based employees. (Airtasker)
85% of businesses confirm that productivity has increased in their company because of greater flexibility. (Deloitte)
66% of companies report that remote work has reduced absenteeism. (Owl Labs)
Remote workers save an average of 40 minutes per day on their commute, which adds up to 160 hours per year. (FlexJobs)
82% of remote workers report lower stress levels. (Buffer)
Remote work leads to a 50% reduction in employee turnover. (Owl Labs)
90% of employees say allowing for more flexible work arrangements and schedules would increase employee morale. (FlexJobs)
The average real estate cost savings for each remote worker is $10,000 per year. (Global Workplace Analytics)
Companies that allow remote work experience a 25% lower employee turnover rate compared to those that don't. (Owl Labs)
Remote Working Statistics
20% of remote workers say communication and collaboration are their biggest struggles. (Buffer)
84% of employees believe that working remotely helps them communicate better with their team. (Owl Labs)
Remote workers have 25% fewer meetings, which can lead to increased productivity. (Owl Labs)
91% of employees say communication with their colleagues has improved since switching to remote work. (Slack)
Distractions and Time Management Statistics
22% of remote workers say that managing distractions is their biggest struggle. (Buffer)
43% of remote workers report that they take breaks to do household chores during the workday. (Buffer)
75% of employees say that they are more productive due to fewer distractions in the office. (FlexJobs)
52% of remote workers say that they work more hours than they would if they were in the office. (Buffer)
Remote workers are twice as likely to feel lonely compared to office-based employees. (Owl Labs)
Working from home can lead to a lack of clear boundaries between work and personal life, with 29% of remote workers struggling with work-life balance. (Buffer)
Technical issues such as poor internet connection or malfunctioning equipment can disrupt productivity, which is reported by 22% of remote workers as their biggest struggle. (Buffer)
Remote workers miss out on the social interaction that comes with working in an office, which can lead to feelings of isolation and disengagement from the company culture.
A lack of face-to-face supervision can lead to decreased accountability and potentially lower quality work output, which is reported by 19% of managers as their biggest concern about remote work. (Owl Labs)
Collaboration can be more challenging when working remotely, with only 20% of remote workers reporting that they feel connected to their team all the time while working from home compared to over half who feel this way when working in the office environment.(Slack)
Work from Home by Education Level
66% of employees with a bachelor's degree or higher have worked from home during the pandemic. (National Bureau of Economic Research)
Workers with a graduate degree are more likely to work from home than those without one, at a rate of 61% compared to 21%. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Employees with a high school diploma or less education are less likely to work from home, at a rate of only 16%. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Workers in management and professional occupations are more likely to work remotely than those in service or blue-collar jobs, at rates of 53% and 10%, respectively. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Among workers who have teleworked during the pandemic, those with advanced degrees reported the highest increase in productivity levels, at a rate of 59%. (PwC)
Remote Work Stats
In the technology sector, 57% of employees work remotely at least part of the time. (Owl Labs)
In healthcare, only 11% of employees work remotely. (Owl Labs)
The finance industry has seen a 52% increase in remote job postings since 2019. (FlexJobs)
Retail has experienced a 523% increase in remote job postings since 2015. (FlexJobs)
Education and training have seen a 91% increase in remote job postings since 2019. (FlexJobs)
Remote Working Health Statistics
41% of remote workers say that exercise is an important part of their daily routine. (Buffer)
56% of remote workers say that they have a more positive work-life balance. (Buffer)
22% of remote workers say that loneliness is their biggest struggle. (Buffer)
47% of remote workers say that they get more sleep due to not having to commute. (Buffer)
Work from Home by Age
Workers aged 18-34 are more likely to work remotely than those aged 55 and above, at a rate of 20% compared to 27%. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Among workers aged 35-54, those with children under the age of 18 are more likely to have worked remotely during the pandemic, at a rate of 29%. (National Bureau of Economic Research)
Workers aged 30-49 experienced the highest increase in productivity levels when teleworking during the pandemic, at a rate of 48%. (PwC)
Employees aged 40 and above are more likely to struggle with managing distractions while working from home, with 27% reporting it as their biggest challenge. (Buffer)
Younger workers aged 18-24 are more likely to say that they feel less productive when working from home compared to older workers aged 55 and above, at a rate of 22% compared to only 7%. (Owl Labs)
Work from Home by Gender
Women are more likely to work from home than men, with a rate of 35% compared to 19%. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Among teleworkers during the pandemic, women reported higher productivity levels than men, at a rate of 55% compared to 49%. (PwC)
Men are more likely to work in jobs that require on-site presence than women, with a rate of 29% compared to 23%. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Women who have children under the age of 18 are more likely to have worked remotely during the pandemic than those without children, at a rate of 69% compared to 44%. (National Bureau of Economic Research)
Men aged 25-54 experienced the highest increase in productivity levels when teleworking during the pandemic, at a rate of 52%. (PwC)
Conclusion
These statistics show that remote work can be beneficial for productivity, communication, and work-life balance. However, it is important for remote workers to manage distractions and maintain their health and well-being. By doing so, remote workers can continue to reap the benefits of working from home.
