The traditional 9-5 paradigm is shifting and flexible working patterns are finally being embraced by the mainstream. Remote working, also known as “telecommuting” is just one flexible trend that’s on the rise, and it’s easy to understand why. Working from home has many obvious benefits for the employee, enabling them to save time and money on commuting and achieve a better work-life balance. But it’s also good for businesses.
Telecommuting has been proven to boost productivity, which ultimately benefits a business’ bottom line. Nowadays, employees crave flexibility, so offering remote working as an incentive can also have a positive impact when it comes to attracting new talent, something that CEOs list as one of their main challenges. Let’s take a look at some of the key facts and stats around remote working today, and where it’s heading as we move into the future.
- 56 percent of all jobs are telework-compatible
Although some roles don’t lend themselves to remote working, according to Global Workplace Analytics, 56 percent of jobs can be done from home – even if on a part-time basis only. It makes sense when you think about how much a WiFi connection can facilitate!
2. 70% of people globally work remotely at least once a week
A study by IWG found that 70 percent of professionals work away from the office at least once a week, and 53 percent telecommute for at least half of the week.
- In 2027, 86.5 million people will be freelancing in the US
A statistic published on Statistica showing the number of freelancers in the US from 2017 to 2028 predicts that in 2027, 50.9 percent of the workforce will be freelancing – a trend that also coincides with the rising popularity of remote working.
- 80% to 90% of the US workforce would like to work remotely sometimes
Global Workplace Analytics’ research also finds that the majority of the US workforce would like to work remotely at least part-time, with two to three hours being the sweet spot because it allows for a balance between focused and collaborative work.
- 66% feel they would be more productive working remotely than in an office
According to FlexJobs’ sixth annual survey of more than 5,500 respondents, 66% of professionals believe they would be more productive working remotely (at home or in a virtual office) than in a traditional office set up.
- Telecommuters (even part-time ones) are 24% happier and productive
Survey data from OWL Labs reveals that employees who work from home at least one day per week are 24% more likely to feel better about their work, which in turn has a positive effect on their wellbeing productivity levels – great news for the employee and the employer!
- A typical business could save $11,000 per person per year
According to Global Workplace Analytics, if people from the US with remote-compatible jobs who want to work from home did so for half of the working week, a typical business could save $11,000 per year and national savings would total over $700 billion.
- Some countries are introducing flexible working bills
In July 2019 a UK MP introduced a flexible working bill in Parliament to help close the gender pay gap, assist parents to share childcare and help businesses retain employees.
- Small companies are twice as likely to hire remote employees
OWL Labs say that small companies are two times as like to hire full-time remote employees as larger businesses. Also, full-time remote workers are 2 times more likely to be individual contributors than management and fully distributed companies take 33% less time to hire a new employee.
- Telecommuters are helping to protect the environment from further damage
It’s official: remote working is beneficial for the environment. Telecommuters in the US avoid emitting 3.6 million tons of commuting-related greenhouse gasses annually, according to Global Workplace Analytics.
It’s safe to say that remote working has surpassed its status as a “trend” and is becoming firmly embedded in our work culture. As we move forward into the next decade of the 21st century, we expect to see remote working being fully embraced by a wider range of industries – especially as employees look for some of the perks that an increasing number of freelancers enjoy.
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