The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a major shift in how business is conducted globally. As lockdown measures were enforced, businesses began converting their typical day-to-day activities to remote operations. Many businesses saw this as only a means to an end and that work would return to normal as the world moved into an endemic phase.

Two years after the start of the pandemic we now see that is not the case due to employees embracing the work-from-home lifestyle and cherishing the benefits that it provides. The benefits are not solely one sided though as companies have seen positive effects as well.

In this article we will go over 26 statistics on remote employees that showcase that it will continue to grow in the coming years and why your business needs to be prepared for that future with the right tools to make remote worker computer return and exchanges streamlined for today’s decentralized workforce.

General Statistics

1. Globally, 16% of companies are fully remote (Owl Labs)

16% is still a pretty low percentage, but is still remarkable by showing how remote work has grown and evolved as there are companies out there that have no offices or headquarters and operate fully remote. It will not be surprising that this percentage will increase in the coming years.

2. Around 62% of employees aged 22 to 65 say they work remotely at least occasionally (Owl Labs)

Many companies have gone to a hybrid operations model. While they have physical offices that employees can go to work, there is an option for remote work at least occasionally.

3. Since 2009 the number of people that work-from-home has risen 159% (Global Workplace Analytics)

Advances in telecommunication technology and the number of people who value a good work-life balance has been a contributing factor in the large growth remote work has seen. This is expected to only increase going forward.

4. Industries with the highest number of remote workers are healthcare (15%), technology (10%) and financial services (9%) (Owl Labs)

Despite remote work being strongly attributed to tech and digital marketing positions, healthcare is currently the largest employer of people that work-from-home. Regardless of the field you are in, it’s always worth looking for remote opportunities.

5. Remote work is more common in cities with high-income levels (Pragati)

Those that live in the city tend to be more likely to have a desk job which is easier to turn into a remote work position and can afford the equipment necessary to complete the transition.

6. 44% of companies in the world don’t allow remote work (Owl Labs)

The growth in remote work has been undeniable, but there are still companies that do not allow their employees to work from home. The events that companies had to deal with in 2020 suggests that this number will continue to decrease.

7. By 2028, 73% of all departments are expected to have remote workers (Upwork)

Fast forward eight years into the future and it’s expected that 73% of all departments will have remote workers. This re enforces what we already know about the growth of remote work, but shows that telecommunication will gain further acceptance in other industries.

8. 99% of people would choose to work remotely for the rest of their lives, even if it was only part-time. (Buffer)

A powerful statistic – people want more flexibility and freedom when it comes to work and are willing to accept part-time positions to achieve that. Working from home is clearly not a fad.

Benefit Statistics

9. 77% of remote workers say they’re more productive when they’re working from home (CoSo Cloud)
10. 75% of people work remotely because there are fewer distractions (FlexJobs)
11. Better work-life balance is the main reason why people choose to work remotely (Owl Labs)
12. 69% of millennials would give up on certain work benefits for a more flexible working space (CRBE)
13. Telecommuting reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an amount of 600,000 cars (State of Telecommuting)

Earnings Statistics

14. The average annual income of remote workers is $4,000 higher than that of other workers (FlexJobs)
15. Remote workers save about $7,000 a year in transportation, food and childcare costs (TECLA)
16. Companies that allow remote work see an average increase of $2,000 in profit per remote worker (Stanford)

Recruiting and Retention Statistics

17. Small companies are 2x more likely to hire full-time remote workers (Owl Labs)
18. 85% of hiring managers believe remote workers will become the new normal for many teams (TECLA)
19. 64% of recruiters say that being able to pitch a work-from-home policy helps them find high-quality talent (IWG)
20. 74% of workers say that having a remote work opportunity would make them less likely to leave a company (Owl Labs)
21. In 2017, there was a 50% decrease in resignations in companies that allowed remote work (Stanford)

Remote Work Challenges Statistics

22. The three biggest challenges associated with remote work are unplugging after work (22%), loneliness (19%), communication (17%) (Buffer)
23. Only 70% of remote workers get regular training from their company (TalentLMS)
24. 54% of IT professionals consider remote workers to pose a greater security risk than traditional workers (OpenVPN)
25. Only 23% of remote workers state that their employer covers the cost of a coworking space membership (Buffer)
26. Remote employees are 16% less likely to agree that their manager involves them in the goal setting process (Gallup) ReadyReturns Prepares You for a Future of Remote Work

Working remotely is clearly going to be a part of daily work operations for most companies across many industries from now on. This reality creates a need to be able to quickly, efficiently and strategically be able to perform company equipment returns, exchanges and upgrades for your employees.

ReadyReturns is the software solution you need to be able to take the stress out of the company equipment returns process and prepare your business for a future where remote work is commonplace.