60 Distant Work Stats to Know in 2024

My first advertising job was as a contract author for an company on the other aspect of the world. This additionally occurred to be my first “actual” job and, consequently, my first expertise of distant work.

Since then, I’ve labored with a number of different corporations throughout a number of time zones and, because of this, skilled the whole lot distant work has to supply — from the challenges of organising a house workplace to the fun of location independence.

However extra importantly, I’ve additionally gotten to consciously observe the expansion and affect of distant work over time.

On this publish, I’ll be sharing 60 statistics that will help you perceive the evolution, alternatives, and challenges this distinctive mode of labor provides.

Every part is designed to offer extra than simply statistics and as an alternative give you a cohesive, research-backed narrative on every sub-topic.

Desk of Contents

The Introduction and Evolution of Distant Work

• In line with Hubspot, essentially the most widespread work mannequin at present is a hybrid mannequin, which is most well-liked by 41% of staff. That is adopted by the absolutely distant work mannequin (32%), and, lastly, on-site work (27%). Nonetheless, apparently, earlier than 2020, most staff had absolutely on-site jobs with no instant plans to modify to various fashions. So, what modified?
• The 2020 lockdown mandated a whole shift to distant work throughout most industries, introducing many to distant work for the primary time. Consequently, an Owl Labs survey discovered that this expertise led to 70% of staff wanting to keep up a hybrid or distant working association even post-pandemic.
• By 2021, an Accenture research discovered that 83% of worldwide staff considered this hybrid mannequin of labor (a mixture of distant and on-site work) as supreme.
• As time went on, employee preferences stored evolving. A 2022 research discovered that the most well-liked working types shifted a bit from the earlier yr. Distant work was favored by 34% in 2021 however dropped to 29% in 2022. Hybrid work went from 31% to 36%, and in-office work went from 29% to 22%.

Picture Supply

• Breaking it down by gender, girls appeared to favor distant work extra (46%) over males (39%). Alternatively, in-office work appeared extra interesting to males, with 24% preferring it in comparison with 19% of girls.
• This research additionally discovered that round 29% of staff modified jobs, with distant staff being twice as seemingly (37%) to modify in comparison with these working in an workplace (21%). The highest causes for altering jobs have been higher pay (84%), higher profession alternatives (82%), and higher work/life steadiness (78%).
• However what was much more attention-grabbing was that in keeping with members within the research, if the choice to work remotely of their present jobs was taken away, 66% mentioned they might begin in search of a job that provided extra flexibility, whereas 39% mentioned they might merely stop.
• Equally, one other 2022 survey discovered that 63% of staff would select a greater work-life steadiness over higher pay.
• And these sentiments weren’t short-term. A 2022 research by Buffer discovered that 98% of respondents wished to work remotely in some capability for the remainder of their careers.
• Equally, one other research discovered that 88% of staff thought of hybrid work as a number one profit they’d count on in a brand new job.
• Distant work choices have been so positively acquired that only one% of members in a research by Buffer reported having a unfavorable expertise with distant work.
• Moreover, the research additionally discovered that 98% of distant staff would advocate distant work to others.

Picture Supply

• Research proceed to constantly present that many staff choose a distant or hybrid association over on-site work. As an illustration, Atlassian’s State of Work research confirmed a notable shift within the preferences of distant, office-only, and hybrid staff between 2021 and 2022: 22% in 2022 versus 34% in 2021, 35% in 2022 versus 39% in 2021, and 43% in 2022 versus 27% in 2021, respectively.
• General, the hybrid mannequin of distant work seems to be the comfortable medium between staff and employers, with 45.5% of distant staff having hybrid preparations in comparison with 20.5% who work absolutely from dwelling, in keeping with a January 2023 survey.

• Earlier than the 2020 shutdown, simply 8% of corporations had versatile office insurance policies.
• By 2021, almost two-thirds (62%) had carried out some degree of versatile work. Mid-size corporations (501-5,000 staff) particularly, have been notably proactive, with 70% implementing versatile work insurance policies.
• Nonetheless, employer sentiments towards distant work continued to evolve. That very same yr, a report by OwlLabs discovered that 73% of those that labored from dwelling throughout the pandemic finally returned to the workplace at the least at some point per week.
• In actuality, whereas 74% of corporations promised some degree of flexibility in work schedules on the time, 82% have been additionally planning a return to pre-pandemic work schedules after the lockdown.
• By 2022, the State of Distant Work report discovered that solely 31% of employers have been providing absolutely distant working choices, with 41% of small corporations (10-50 staff) requiring staff to return to the workplace.
• So, the place precisely does that depart us at present? It actually relies on who you ask. On one hand, 58% of members in a McKinsey survey reported having the chance to work at home at the least at some point per week.

Picture Supply

• Alternatively, a number of research have discovered that distant work is the exception and never the norm. In line with a research by Accenture, as of 2022, 36% of staff worldwide had returned to a totally on-site work mannequin throughout all industries.
• One other survey by Atlassian additionally revealed that 82% of all information staff had some type of “in-office mandate,” whereas 25% of staff who supposedly had the selection to work remotely nonetheless felt strain to enter the workplace.
• Lastly, a 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey discovered that solely 27.5% of personal sector companies (2.5 million) had staff teleworking all or a number of the time.
• So, how will we interpret this seemingly conflicting information? Effectively, all views might have advantage. By inspecting every trade individually reasonably than collectively, the information aligns higher.
• The identical research by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics discovered that skilled and enterprise providers, academic providers, and wholesale commerce boasted the very best share of teleworkers at 67.4%, 49%, 46%, and 39%, respectively. This means that distant work alternatives are merely extra prevalent in sure industries, and research outcomes will usually fluctuate relying on the trade surveyed.

• For a lot of staff, the attraction of distant work lies in its flexibility. In line with Hubspot’s Hybrid Work Report, 90% of staff are coping with some degree of burnout and imagine that flexibility, particularly in taking day off, might considerably scale back their stress ranges.
• However flexibility is not nearly whenever you work. In line with findings from a Buffer research, the most important distant work advantages for staff embody having the ability to handle their time (22%), select the place they dwell (19%), and determine the place they work (13%).

Picture Supply

• Atlassian’s analysis gives additional perception, exhibiting that the first motive US information staff choose distant work is that they’re merely happier working from dwelling (47%).
• However past happiness and suppleness, distant staff additionally report increased productiveness ranges. In line with a research by Owl Labs, a big majority (62%) of staff really feel extra productive when working remotely, in comparison with simply 11% who really feel much less productive.
• A Buffer research additionally discovered that 70% of staff discover it simpler to focus, 65% handle stress higher, and 50% keep away from distractions higher when working remotely.
• Lastly, whereas the workplace is seen as the most efficient setting for sure actions, equivalent to assembly new individuals (59%), managing others (51%), and staff conferences (51%), staff are break up on the place they like to innovate and brainstorm. Some thrive within the workplace (39%), whereas others appear to search out their circulate higher at dwelling (37%).

• Distant work, whether or not absolutely distant or hybrid, usually incurs bills that aren’t usually related to conventional work fashions. In line with findings from Buffer’s State of Distant Work Report, 64% of staff indicated that their corporations paid for {hardware} equivalent to displays, whereas 40% reported that their corporations lined prices related to dwelling workplace gear.
• Curiously, dwelling web, which is arguably essentially the most essential distant work instrument, is solely lined by 28% of corporations.
• One other further distant working price corporations usually must cowl is coworking memberships. 22% of respondents within the Buffer survey indicated that their corporations cowl their memberships, whereas 38% expressed a want for his or her corporations to take action.
• Now, aside from worker bills, companies additionally want to contemplate how distant work may have an effect on profitability. For instance, HubSpot’s 2024 State of Gross sales Report revealed that 46% of salespeople understand promoting remotely as much less efficient than in-person gross sales.

Picture Supply

• So, what does this imply? Is distant work merely an added expense with no actual advantages to the underside line? Quite the opposite, distant work additionally provides main monetary advantages. In line with a research by IWG, greater than four-fifths of Chief Monetary Officers (CFOs) (82%) imagine that distant work, particularly in a hybrid format, is a more cost effective enterprise mannequin in comparison with conventional workplace setups.
• This line of considering is supported by findings from World Office Analytics, which means that hybrid working preparations can save organizations greater than $11,000 per worker yearly on common.
• However how precisely does distant work ship price financial savings for corporations? Firstly, there’s the potential for substantial financial savings on workplace lease. The IWG research discovered that two-thirds (65%) of CFOs intention to cut back facility spending by greater than 10% per yr.
• Equally, one other research discovered that 60% of U.S. executives plan to scale back workplace area by as much as half or extra.
• The rationale behind these cost-saving measures is evident. By eliminating or considerably decreasing workplace area necessities, corporations can keep away from committing to costly, long-term leases, regulate their area necessities as wanted, and luxuriate in big price financial savings. As an illustration, Cisco’s adoption of hybrid working practices has resulted in financial savings of $500 million over the previous 5 years.
• However there’s extra to it than simply saving on workplace prices. Employee prices alone reveal an attention-grabbing development. An Owl Labs research discovered that greater than half of all staff (52%) could be prepared to just accept a pay lower of 5% or extra in change for the flexibleness to decide on their working location. Actually, 23% indicated they might settle for a pay lower of 10% or extra for this profit.
• Conversely, if staff have been not allowed to work remotely or in a hybrid setup, 67% would count on a pay improve to cowl further commuting bills.
• Lastly, past price issues, latest analysis performed by IWG and Arup revealed that hybrid working has the potential to scale back city carbon emissions by 70% within the UK and as much as 87% within the U.S.. These findings recommend that the environmental affect of absolutely distant work could possibly be substantial for companies that select to undertake distant work fashions.

• In line with a latest HubSpot survey, the primary ache level for corporations within the distant work period is disconnected programs. Particularly, the survey discovered that the highest downside for distant corporations appears to be difficulties with communication and collaboration between groups.
• However why is that this an issue? One doable motive could possibly be how distributed groups are these days. For instance, Buffer’s State of Distant Work survey discovered that 74% of respondents labored in corporations that function throughout a number of time zones. Moreover, over half of the distant staff (62%) in that research reported having individuals of their instant groups distributed throughout a number of time zones.

Picture Supply

• This distributed setup impacts how distant groups collaborate. At the moment, collaboration primarily happens by means of messaging apps (50%), emails (22%), and conferences (19%), with video calls being the commonest for conferences. Curiously, solely about one-third (36%) of employers have upgraded their video assembly know-how since 2020.
• For digital conferences particularly, a Buffer research discovered that when taking conferences, most distant staff choose to be on digital camera. When requested why, 67% of members felt it was simpler to speak after they might see somebody’s expression.
• That mentioned, not all conferences are considered favorably by distant staff. A research by HubSpot revealed that 70% of staff discover too many calls and conferences disruptive to their focus. Moreover, 58% really feel that at the least half of the conferences they attend might have been dealt with by means of emails as an alternative.
• Furthermore, the identical research additionally discovered that electronic mail was the popular communication platform for a majority of respondents (39%) when requested to decide on one platform for the upcoming yr.
• On the aspect of the organizations, a number of research have proven that employers are additionally taking measures to make sure seamless collaboration amongst distant groups. A 2022 research discovered that roughly half (50%) of employers have supplied coaching to managers on managing distant and hybrid groups.
• Equally, a HubSpot research discovered that 32% of staff who participated of their Hybrid Work survey had acquired pointers on utilizing unified communication and collaboration instruments. Moreover, 54% had acquired coaching on conducting efficient and inclusive hybrid conferences.
• Lastly, a latest research additionally discovered that 37% of employers have added or elevated using worker monitoring software program, indicating a rising development in the direction of simpler monitoring and administration of distant groups.

• Whereas distant work provides many advantages, it additionally presents a number of challenges. For some distant staff, the wrestle lies in the isolation of staying dwelling too usually. One research discovered that one in three distant staff reported this as their largest problem, with loneliness following intently behind at 23%.
• A 2022 Hubspot survey additionally discovered that 40% of distant staff reportedly miss spontaneous, in-person connections with their colleagues,

Picture Supply

• There’s additionally the truth that not each worker thrives in a distant setting. A latest research discovered that almost half of U.S. staff really feel their groups don’t perform successfully in a hybrid setting.
• Whereas this might seemingly be attributed to a number of causes, a 2022 research discovered that 77% of distant staff who felt much less productive attributed this to elevated distractions at dwelling, which is comprehensible contemplating that 45% of distant staff make the most of multi-purpose areas, equivalent to bedrooms or kitchens, for work.
• Separating work and private life can be tough in a distant setting. In a single research, 81% of distant staff admitted to checking work emails exterior of workplace hours, with 63% doing so on weekends and 34% whereas on trip. Furthermore, 48% usually labored past conventional hours, with 44% reporting elevated work hours in comparison with the earlier yr.
• One other research additionally discovered that almost half (45%) of staff report a rise in work-related stress over the previous yr.
• Lastly, one other main problem for distant work adoption appears to be office perceptions. One research discovered that 49% of staff really feel that managers view in-office staff as tougher working and extra reliable than distant counterparts.
• Equally, one other research discovered that 10% of staff concern being perceived as much less productive or dedicated in the event that they work remotely.

Navigating The Distant Work Panorama

Whereas distant work presents new and distinctive challenges, with the fitting method and understanding, it might probably result in extra productive and satisfying working preparations for each staff and employers.

Whether or not you‘re contemplating your first distant function or hiring distant staff members, it’s essential to maintain the stats above in thoughts because the world continues to evolve and embrace flexibility.