Remote workers have tripled and many are women, study finds
Women made up the majority of home-based workers in 2019.
Working from home has become a dedicated part of the American workforce, exercising one of the safety measures adopted during the COVID-19. Now that the mandate has been lifted, businesses are doing more in the remote space than just reducing transmission of the coronavirus.
At-home workers in the United States have tripled (from 5.7% in 2019 to 17.9% in 2021), an increase of 19 million workers according to American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year data.
Women made up the majority of home-based workers in 2019. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, this jumped to a larger share of the rapidly growing home-based U.S. workforce. In 4 out of 5 occupation groups, women made up the largest share of home-based workers. ACS data found a strong connection between specific occupations and the percentage of workers who worked from home.
In 2019, a relatively small percentage worked from home in every occupation group but the highest share was in management, business, science and arts occupations like insurance underwriters, mental health counselors and marketing managers.
The percentage of home-based workers rose for each occupation in 2021 but the biggest share of home-based workers was still in management, business, science and arts occupations.
In 2021, women made up the majority of U.S. workers in:
- Management, business, science and arts occupations (52.2%)
- Service occupations (56.7%)
- Sales and office occupations (62.2%)
While both men and women worked from home at a significantly higher rate in 2021, the shift to remote work was particularly noticeable among women, and just one way the pandemic affected how both groups work.
Related: Working parents are looking for help beyond flexible work arrangements, study finds
This rapid acceptance of home-based work between 2019 and 2021 offers a unique opportunity to re-evaluate the relationship between employee, work and workplace. The ACS continues to provide information that illuminates relationships between people, their place of work and the type of work that they do.