Working outside a traditional office environment, often from home or other locations, is a key consideration when choosing a job today.
Working remotely has become increasingly popular in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the adoption of this work setup.
The report shows that around 16% of companies in the United States are fully remote.
This percentage is expected to increase since this setup became advantageous to many, and more companies are willing to adopt remote work and hybrid setups.
Are you curious to know how many people work remotely in 2024? This resource is for you.
Key Statistics
- Almost 50% of knowledge workers worldwide work remotely or in a hybrid setup by the end of 2023.
- 27% of employees in the United States are working remotely in 2023, up by 1% from last year.
- 75% of workers believe they have a work-life balance while working remotely.
- In 2022, Black workers in the US had the most access to full-time remote work setups, accounting for 42%.
- Companies reduce expenses for office spaces and utilities because of remote work arrangements.
- Computer and IT jobs are some of the top careers for remote work, based on FlexJobs.
- 67% of remote workers have flexibility in how they spend their time.
How Many People Work Remotely in 2024?
Research reveals that an estimated 260 million people worked from home before the pandemic, equivalent to nearly 8% of the global workforce.
An estimated 48% of knowledge workers worldwide will work remotely or in a hybrid setup by the end of 2023.
In 2023, about 9% work fully remotely, while 39% work in a hybrid arrangement worldwide.
Statistics reveal that around 27% of employees in the United States work remotely in 2023, up from 26% the previous year.
They are forecasted to reach 36.2 million people by 2025.
Working Remotely and the Pandemic
More people choose remote jobs over the past years as they enable workers to perform their tasks from any location, as long as there is a reliable internet connection.
The pandemic has contributed significantly to the increase in remote workers since governments and health authorities worldwide implemented strict lockdowns.
Despite the declining threat of COVID-19 today, companies are embracing remote work arrangements for the long term.
Let’s take a look at the shares of people working remotely in the US from 2018 to 2023:
- 5.7% of employees in the US worked remotely in 2018
- 22.4% of employees in the US worked remotely in 2019
- 41.7% of employees in the US worked remotely in 2020
- 26.7% of employees in the US worked remotely in 2021
- 26.0% of employees in the US worked remotely in 2022
- 27.0% of employees in the US are working remotely in 2023
Why Do People Prefer Working Remotely?
Many people today prefer working remotely because of the flexibility of work hours and location.
This arrangement eliminates commuting to and from the office and reduces expenses like transportation, food, and work attire.
A survey shows that 75% of workers believe they experience a work-life balance while working remotely, and 57% have less stress.
About 56% of workers observed fewer absences, 54% improved morale, and 50% recorded fewer sick days.
Availability of Remote Work in the US by Race
According to Statista, Black workers in the US had the most access to full-time remote work setups in 2022, accounting for 42%.
Meanwhile, Asian American workers in the country had the most access to part-time remote work setups, accounting for 32%.
Here is the availability of remote work in the US by race in 2022:
- 34% of White workers had access to full-time remote work options, while 22% had access to part-time remote work options
- 42% of Black workers had access to full-time remote work options, while 22% had access to part-time remote work options
- 35% of Hispanic and Latino workers had access to full-time remote work options, while 24% had access to part-time remote work options
- 35% of Asian American workers had access to full-time remote work options, while 32% had access to part-time remote work options
- 28% of workers of other races had access to full-time remote work options, while 22% had access to part-time remote work options
Why Are Remote Workers Productive?
Below are some of the common reasons why remote workers are productive:
- Remote workers are productive because they have fewer interruptions
- Remote workers are productive because they have a quieter work environment
- Remote workers are productive because they have a more comfortable workplace
- Remote workers are productive because they have more focused time
- Remote workers are productive because they avoid office politics
Companies Adopting Remote Work
In the past few years, many companies have recognized that working in the office full-time is inessential to achieve excellent results.
One of the several factors is the advancement of technology.
Technologies today provide robust communication and collaboration tools that allow seamless remote work experience.
Aside from that, companies reduce expenses for office spaces and utilities.
Here are some of the companies adopting remote work:
- GitLab
- Zapier
- AT&T
- Dell Technologies
- Airbnb
- Automattic
- Toptal
- Spotify
- Amazon
Careers for Remote Jobs
The following are the top careers for remote jobs, based on FlexJobs:
- Computer and IT Jobs
- Customer Service Jobs
- Marketing Jobs
- HR and Recruiting Jobs
- Project Management Jobs
- Accounting and Finance Jobs
- Medical and Health Jobs
Average Days Spent Working Remotely
Based on the 2022 survey, professions related to production, protective service, education, engineering, architecture, social service, maintenance, and healthcare spent the least average days working remotely, accounting for around 2 to 2.9 days per week.
In comparison, professions related to entertainment, sports, media, sales, financial operations, administrative support, and computer spent the most average days working remotely, accounting for around 3 to 3.8 days per week.
Benefits of Working Remotely
As of 2023, the primary benefit of working remotely is the flexible schedule.
Aside from that, it has a positive impact on finances.
Here are the benefits of working remotely in 2023, based on Buffer.com:
- 67% of remote workers experienced flexibility in how they spend their time
- 63% of remote workers had more time because they don’t commute
- 59% of remote workers experienced flexibility to choose their work location
- 56% of remote workers believed it is better for them financially
- 39% of remote workers experienced flexibility in their career options
- 31% of remote workers felt safer
Conclusion
Working remotely is rewarding to many people this is why more workers consider this work option today.
It offers flexibility, reduced expenses and commuting time, and increased autonomy.
Aside from the benefits to workers, there are also benefits to companies.
It improves employee productivity and reduces costs for utilities and office space.
However, it is necessary to consider the potential challenges of remote work, such as self-discipline and isolation.
As of 2023, about 27% of workers in the United States are working remotely.
It is forecasted that 48% of knowledge workers worldwide will work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement by the end of the year.
That’s how many people work remotely in 2023.