Remote Work Is Here to Stay According to the Numbers

The data is clear: Remote work is here to stay, albeit for a small portion of the working population. About 11.1 percent of employees telecommuted in December 2021 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly survey—down from the prior month’s 11.3 percent. This indicates the return-to-work wave is slowing down, and millions of Americans are settling into the new work-from-home normal. Evidence also suggests that employers are warming up to the idea. About 9 percent of job postings in December 2021 mentioned remote-work-related terms, according to economist Nick Bunker, which is up significantly from 2.7 percent in 2019. Influential businesses like Spotify, Twitter, and Amazon have also announced permanent work-from-home or flexible work options, lending the movement more credibility. Employees themselves are also driving this trend. A growing number of workers are leaving their positions for more flexible work options, as reflected in the fact that Indeed, job searches that included telework terms grew to 5.5 percent in December 2021, up from only 1.3 percent in 2019.