During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a third of telecommuters were 16 and older, according to a survey of employed ages in May and June 2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics. That means about 47,000 people surveyed fell into the remote work category, which that group said was a direct response to the pandemic.
When restrictions were lifted and attitudes towards the coronavirus changed, October 2021 Gallup Poll found that 91% of US telecommuters surveyed hoped to continue telecommuting, with more than half more interested in a hybrid model. That Spring 2022 future forum pulse survey of more than 10,000 knowledge workers from six countries (including the United States) came to similar conclusions. In a survey conducted between late January and late February 2022, Black and working mothers were most interested in teleworking, with 58% of women and 48% of men preferring to telecommute for at least three days. More than 80% of working mothers preferred the flexibility of the location.
Yet despite the popularity of remote work in several demographics and countries, it can contribute to workplace inequality. Surveys over the past two years since the pandemic broke out have revealed an increase in gender-based harassment, racial hatred and age profiling.
in one Project include studyabout a quarter of all respondents said they had experienced an increase in gender-based harassment. Almost 95% experienced more racial hostility, and 23% of those over 50 saw an increase in both harassment and hostility. Of the nearly 2,800 professionals surveyed in 49 countries, including the United States, between May 2020 and February 2021, the survey researchers found that remote working is significantly exacerbating current workplace issues. Hostility and harassment manifest in different forms in remote work, along with spikes in mental illnesses such as anxiety.
Amid the rise of remote work, which is becoming an important part of American work culture, firm space trawled through numerous studies to find key statistics showing how remote work affects inequality. Sources include LinkedIn, Future Forum, and Project Include.
Read on to explore the impact of remote work on women, black men, transgender tech workers, and others.
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