Daniel Slotta
Research expert covering Greater China
Work from home: remote & hybrid work - Statistics & Facts
Once considered a privilege, working from home has now become a critical factor in employment decisions, thanks to the digital revolution and the transformation of our economy. The COVID-19 pandemic merely accelerated what was already changing - the way we work and where we work from, making remote work and hybrid work possible for employers and employees.
Remote work offered different benefits to employees, such as a flexible schedule and flexibility to live anywhere. Nonetheless, remote work also came with its challenges. Staying at home too often and loneliness were the leading struggles with working remotely in 2023. Despite those challenges, remote and hybrid work remain the preferred work structure for most employees globally, with 91 percent of employees reporting that they preferred either a fully or an almost remote work structure.
Employers globally had different concerns regarding working remotely. Enabling effective collaboration and maintaining an organizational culture were among the leading concerns that tech leaders had with hybrid work in 2023. Therefore, it is no surprise that maintaining an organizational culture, facilitating collaboration, and real estate investments were among the leading reasons driving return-to-office mandates worldwide in 2023. This in and of itself didn’t come without its challenges. In the same year, 21 percent of employers reported that resistance from their employees to return to the office was enough impact to review their remote work policy.
Looking ahead, it is clear that remote work is not just a temporary trend, but a fundamental shift in the way we approach work. The digital revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated this transition, making remote and hybrid work the new norm.
Remote work is here to stay
In the wake of a digital revolution that has reshaped the professional landscape globally, an intriguing trend has emerged. The share of employees working remotely worldwide increased significantly in recent years, rising from 20 percent in 2020 to 28 percent by 2023. The technology industry had the highest share of employees working primarily remotely by industry, with 67 percent of employees reporting so.Remote work offered different benefits to employees, such as a flexible schedule and flexibility to live anywhere. Nonetheless, remote work also came with its challenges. Staying at home too often and loneliness were the leading struggles with working remotely in 2023. Despite those challenges, remote and hybrid work remain the preferred work structure for most employees globally, with 91 percent of employees reporting that they preferred either a fully or an almost remote work structure.
Employers’ responses to remote work: return-to-office mandates
In 2023, large and medium tech organizations worldwide tended to require their employees to work from the office three days per week. Tech giants including Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft among others have implemented return-to-office mandates requiring employees to be in the office at least three days per week.Employers globally had different concerns regarding working remotely. Enabling effective collaboration and maintaining an organizational culture were among the leading concerns that tech leaders had with hybrid work in 2023. Therefore, it is no surprise that maintaining an organizational culture, facilitating collaboration, and real estate investments were among the leading reasons driving return-to-office mandates worldwide in 2023. This in and of itself didn’t come without its challenges. In the same year, 21 percent of employers reported that resistance from their employees to return to the office was enough impact to review their remote work policy.
Looking ahead, it is clear that remote work is not just a temporary trend, but a fundamental shift in the way we approach work. The digital revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated this transition, making remote and hybrid work the new norm.
