The advent of technology has changed the way people go about their daily lives. From how we interact with each other to how we learn, nearly every aspect of life has been impacted by technology. In addition, remote work is now more popular than ever before. 

Telecommuting, or remote work, is the freedom to work from wherever you want. And, according to remote work statistics, it’s currently playing a vital role in the business scene, and other industries in general. Overall, there are numerous benefits to employing remote workers with a recent survey showing that as much as 96% of workers in the US would like more flexibility in their workplace. 

Hence, seeing how remote work and telecommuting are becoming increasingly popular in recent years, we have to ask ourselves:

How Many People Work Remotely in the US? 

According to the latest research, approximately 8 million US citizens currently work from home. That’s about 5.2% of the entire US workforce, with another 5 million people working from home at least 3 days a week. This just goes to show that telecommuting is no longer seen as just another passing trend — it’s become a way of life (especially so due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic).

To find out all there is to know on this topic, and more, check out the most important stats down below:

10 Key Remote Work Statistics - (2022 update)

  • 65% of respondents said they did not require an office environment to stay productive.
  • 45% of US employers offer remote work.
  • At 17%, healthcare has the highest number of remote workers in the US.
  • Out of all the industries, 73% of them will have remote workers by 2028.
  • About 18% of the global population works remotely full-time.
  • The number of US employees working remotely has increased by 173% in the last 14 years.
  • Only 84% of remote workers actually work from home.
  • 75% of people who work remotely do so because there are fewer distractions.
  • Remote workers are 57% more likely to be satisfied with their jobs than the average American.
  • Remote workers earn $100,000 per year, which is 2.2 times more than on-site workers.

General Remote Work Statistics 

1. 45% of US employers offer remote work.

A 2019 survey showed that nearly half of all US companies offer remote work options and clauses to their employees. This essentially gives employees in certain roles that don’t require an office presence more flexibility and time to build and maintain a strong work-life balance. Recent work from home statistics also indicate that America's total tally (45%) is the second-highest worldwide for the percentage of companies offering telecommuting in a country.  

2. The number of remote workers has increased by a staggering 173% in the last 14 years.

In other words, the rate at which remote workers are growing is 11% faster than the rest of the American workforce. These positive statistics of remote workers in the US are set to continue their upward trend in the near future as more and more companies and fields of work implement new technology and telecommuting into their business. 

3. At 17%, healthcare has the highest number of remote workers in the US.

Approximately 2.7 million people, 17% of the 16 million employees working in healthcare have jobs that allow for telecommuting. Other industries with a high percentage of remote workers include education with 9%, retail with 8%, and manufacturing with 7%, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ remote work survey reveals.

4. 18% of global employees work remotely full time.

This mostly involves freelancers, contractors, and company employees who work remotely without an office base. In contrast, further research shows 32% of employees have never done so or simply cannot work remotely. In addition, 16% work remotely an average of one day per month and 13% do so one day per week, the latest remote work statistics report indicates.

5. Out of all the industries, 73% of them will have remote workers by 2028.

The rising number of companies and businesses that have adapted their workplace to telecommuting since the turn of the century continues. 

What’s more, according to Upwork’s report, Gen Z workers — a generation much more open to remote work — will make up 58% of the workforce by 2028, which is much higher than the measly 38% we have today. This development will lead to more companies and workers using telecommuting as their primary source of employment.

52+ Remote Working Statistics (Infographic)

Remote Workers Statistics in the US

Research shows remote workers are generally more productive and stick with their jobs for longer than their office counterparts. Likewise, as much as 3.6% of the entire US workforce is accustomed to telecommuting at least 3 days a week, whereas a further 74% of workers consider remote work to be normal. 

6. Only 84% of remote workers actually work from home.

While people often associate telecommuting with “working from home,” working from a café, park, car, or anywhere else that isn’t the company site also counts as telecommuting or remote work. Just over ⅘ of remote workers actually spend their working hours at home. The remaining 8% work primarily from co-working spaces, as well as coffee shops (4%) and other places (3%), according to recent remote workforce statistics.

7. 75% of people who work remotely do so because there are fewer distractions.

While you would think that most workers would be more focused in the office — away from the TVs, kids and other distractions around the home — a whopping 75% of workers say otherwise. A 2019 survey showed that ¾ of employees experience fewer distractions while at home and are a lot more focused and work-ready in their home offices as opposed to the company site. 

8. 82% of remote workers feel working from home relieves stress.

Work-related stress is a common problem among workers. Remote work-life balance statistics show a remote worker is 29% more likely to be happier than an on-site employee. Whether it’s due to the work environment or other factors, working from home or away from the office seems to be a great stress reliever.

9. 95% of remote workers would recommend working from home to others.

This includes family, friends, and co-workers. What’s more, 99% of remote workers would not consider going back to full-time office hours. 

10. Remote workers are 35–40% more productive than their office counterparts.

Telecommuting productivity statistics state people are more productive in their home offices than at the company site, with fewer distractions, no commute stress, and comfort being cited as the main factors. 

Overall, these workers were more productive over the course of the day whilst working fewer hours than office workers.

11. 65% of respondents said they did not require an office environment to stay productive.

Another 32% said they most likely had the same level of productivity both in and outside the office environment. Merely 3% stated that they were, in fact, less productive outside the office.

Remote Work Job Satisfaction Statistics — A Quick Overview

Job satisfaction rates are a lot higher among remote workers than their traditional, office counterparts. New survey data reveals that up to 34% of workers with traditional office hours are willing to take a 5% pay cut to have some hours of remote work each week. Likewise, another 34% of workers, Millennials, in particular, are willing to trade some employer-provided benefits for a more flexible schedule. 

12. Remote workers are 57% more likely to be satisfied with their jobs than the average American.

When it comes to working remotely, statistics show that, on average, remote workers are far more satisfied with their place of work and current state of employment than those working corporate office jobs or anywhere else that requires physical office presence. 

In addition, 75% of them are planning on working remotely for the rest of their careers. 

13. 70% of remote workers claim they are being left out by their companies.

While remote work is highly recommended, not all telecommuters are 100% satisfied with their job. One area of concern among remote workers is the feeling of being left out, according to recent research. 

Telework statistics from a recent Buffer survey also reported about 19% of them having regular feelings of loneliness and detachment. Meaning, it’s not all fun and games for remote workers either.

14. Employee loyalty among remote workers is higher with 76% of them willing to stick with their employer.

Employees who work from home are far more loyal and less likely to resign than on-site workers, as per remote workers statistics.

Whether it's due to a better work environment or reduced chance of confrontation with employers, remote workers generally cause less fuss and 76% of them even say they are likely to stick with their current employers for the long haul provided they can keep working with flexible schedules. 

Research also shows most on-site employees would be more willing to remain in their current job if they were given more flexible schedules. 

15. 99% of workers would be interested in working from home,  telecommuting statistics reveal.

Since about 44% of global companies still don’t make provisions for remote work, most workers still have full-time on-site jobs. However, 99% of on-site workers would love to work remotely at least some of the time according to a survey by Buffer. 

This is just another indicator that flexible jobs are in demand, given the small number of workers that get to enjoy remote work schedules. Likewise, some workers would even be willing to take pay cuts of up to 15% to work remotely full-time. 

Remote Work Costs Statistics — The Numbers

Most people already know telecommuting helps improve work-life balance, but did you know working from home also benefits your wallet? Statistics show the average remote worker saves up to 20% of the expected annual cost by working from home! 

16. Employers can save an average of $11,000 per employee annually by creating more flexible schedules.

This accounts for savings resulting from reduced office space costs, increased productivity levels of employees, reduced absenteeism, and other factors. The American technology company Dell, for example, saves an estimated $12,000,000 per year in real estate costs by creating a flexible work environment for their employees working remotely in the US. 

17. Remote workers earn $100,000 per year, which is 2.2 times more than on-site workers.

An owl lab survey of 1,202 full-time workers in the US shows that remote workers, on average, earn more than their on-site workers. Of all the respondents surveyed, 74% of remote workers earned less than $100,000 as opposed to 92% of on-site workers who earned less than $100,000. Just 8% of on-site workers earned over $100,000 annually with 26% of telecommuters earning above that amount. Numerous other surveys on remote working trends are also consistent with this info. It shows that remote workers average a higher annual salary than on-site employees. This comes with a downside though—in terms of workers compensation, those who work remotely are not subjected to any health benefits or insurance.

18. 30% of remote workers say they save upward of $5,240 annually without on-site expenses.

According to respondents in a CoSo cloud's survey, there is a clear financial advantage in working from home. About 30% of them reported financial savings of up to $5,000, also accounting for expenses that would have been spent commuting to and from work, as well as other expenses like office maintenance, food, and wardrobe expenses.

Conclusion

It’s clear that telecommuting is a neat option for both employers and employees. While the ability to work from the comfort of your home was seen as a luxury just a few years ago, technological developments have made it all possible. 

Likewise, the number of freelancers and home offices are going to increase at an even faster rate in the years to come. Numerous remote work statistics and trends in recent years suggest telecommuting will overtake traditional office work in the near future, which in the long run will prove beneficial to both employers and employees alike.