More than half of workers are at least partially remote

The mass migration to remote work looks like it is here to stay, at least according to recent data from consulting firm McKinsey. It found that more than half of American workers, 58%, can do their jobs remotely at least one day a week, while 35% of workers are able to do so five days a week. The remaining workers who have no remote work options aren't necessarily OK with that.

The report also said that, when the opportunity to work remotely comes up, 87% of people take it. Of those 87%, a plurality of respondents, 32%, wanted to do so full time, five days a week. Only 13% would deliberately choose not to work remotely at all if given the chance.

The industries with the most remote work are those in the business/financial sectors, with 60% of jobs now offering at least some remote work availability, followed by art/design/entertainment/sports/media at 53%, and computer/mathematical at 52%. The McKinsey report noted, though, that remote work options are appearing in virtually every industry, even those some might consider blue collar. For instance, 26% of those in building/grounds cleaning/maintenance are remote, 17% in farming/fishing/forestry, and 20% of those employed in transportation/material moving. The report, however, did not elaborate on which specific roles within those industries are remote (it seems difficult to imagine, say, catching wild Alaskan salmon remotely).

"Flexible work’s implications for employees and employers — as well as for real estate, transit, and technology, to name a few sectors — are vast and nuanced and demand contemplation," said the report.

The data came from a 25-minute online-only survey conducted between March 15 and April 18, 2022, with a sample of 25,062 adults aged 18 and older from the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.