Remote Work Productivity Survey: 596 Workers' Perspectives on Time Management, Collaboration, and More

How do remote workers really spend their days? Does working from home negatively impact productivity? Was the COVID-19 remote work boom simply a temporary shift in how we work or does remote work have permanent staying power? The results of Virtual Vocations‘ 2023 “Remote Work Productivity Survey ” are in and we have answers to these questions and more. Read on to discover the latest data and employee perspectives on how remote workers manage their time, collaborate, train, and move through the professional world as teleworkers.

After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, we noticed an emerging pushback against remote work. In some cases, businesses that had been visible supporters of telecommuting prior to and during the pandemic were now making headlines for calling employees back to brick-and-mortar offices. Employers claimed it was time to ‘get back to work,’ as if working from a home office in itself was the source of a perceived decline in productivity. But what were workers’ experiences?

Our ‘Remote Work Productivity Survey’ helped us connect with telecommuters to learn more about how they spend their time, collaborate, and stay productive. Ultimately, we learned that, through remote workers’ own accounts, telework life isn’t unproductive; in fact, it’s quite the opposite.
–Laura Spawn, CEO and co-founder of Virtual Vocations

Virtual Vocations 2023 Remote Work Productivity Survey Results

DOWNLOAD THE SURVEY INFOGRAPHIC

We organized our complete set of questions and answers for the “2023 Remote Work Productivity Survey” into the following categories:

Remote Work History
Recent Remote Work Status
Remote Work Journey
Time Management and Remote Work
Productivity and Remote Work Influence

Data highlights are provided for each section throughout the report. The highlights feature key statistics and findings relevant to each questions and answers category.

1. Remote Work History

Remote work history was the subject of our “Remote Work Productivity Survey” qualifying question. In total, 737 respondents successfully completed our survey. Among those respondents, 596 individuals were identified as our target sample audience based on their answers to our remote work history question. This question asked workers about whether they had ever worked from home at any point in their work histories. Looking ahead, survey results for sections two through four are answers from the 596 respondents who reported at least some remote work experience.

This is what we discovered about the level of access to remote work professionals in 2023 have had in their careers so far.

81% of workers have worked remotely at some point in their careers.

More than one-third of professionals stated they work from home in their current roles.

Only 19% of workers have never held a job that allowed them to work from home, even on a partial or hybrid schedule.

Have you ever worked from home? (Any level of remote work applies, including partial and hybrid schedules.)

Yes, I currently work from home. (34.33%)

34 %

Yes. I have worked remotely in the past, but I do not currently have a remote job. (46.54%)

47 %

No. I have never held a job that allowed me to work remotely. (19.13%)

19 %

2. Recent Remote Work Status

Nearly nine in 10 workers can work from home at least one day per week or could do so in their most recent jobs.

Less than 10% of professionals work on-site 100% of the time with no options for flexible or remote arrangements.

When reflecting on their current or most recent jobs, 73% of respondents claimed their roles could be performed entirely from home with no on-site work or business travel required.

TRUE or FALSE: In my current or most recent job, I could work from home at least one day per week.

True. (88.25%)

88 %

False. (11.75%)

12 %

Which of these options more completely describes your current or most recent remote work status?

I work from home 100% of the time. (53.35%)

53 %

I have a partial remote schedule (based out of a home office while also traveling for work). (13.76%)

14 %

I always work on-site. (9.40%)

9 %

I have a hybrid schedule (working from home some days while working on-site on other days). (23.49%)

24 %

When considering your current or most recent job, is it a role that could be performed entirely from home?

Yes. (72.65%)

73 %

No. I would need to travel for work. (8.89%)

9 %

No. Some of the work has to be done at a physical location. (18.46%)

18 %

3. Remote Work Journey

Just over half (52%) of workers began working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, but another 41% had already held a remote job before March 2020.

48% of respondents reported to have at least three years of experience working remotely, with 11% sporting 10 or more years of telework experience.

The vast majority of workers prefer remote onboarding / training for work-at-home jobs; in fact, only 9% of professionals would have preferred to train in person.

59% of workers praised virtual onboarding / training as a smooth process that made them feel welcomed into their respective companies.

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, which ushered in a boom in remote work. Through September 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics tracked data on how many people worked from home due to the pandemic. Did you work remotely for the first time between March 2020 and September 2022?

Yes. I started working from home during this time. (51.84%)

52 %

No. I had worked remotely prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. (41.11%)

41 %

No. My first remote work experience happened after September 2022. (7.05%)

7 %

What is the total time you have spent working remotely? Give an estimate based on the combined time you have worked from home throughout your professional career.

Less than one year (17.62%)

18 %

1-2 years (33.72%)

34 %

3-5 years (27.52%)

27 %

6-9 years (9.90%)

10 %

10 or more years (11.24%)

11 %

Think back to your first remote job. Which of these descriptions best matches your initial onboarding / training experience?

Everything was done virtually from my home, and it was a smooth process. I felt welcomed and part of the team! (59.06%)

59 %

My onboarding and training were done remotely; however, I wish this would have been done in-person. I felt out of the loop. (8.39%)

9 %

I had to appear on-site for onboarding and training, but it was nice to be in the physical office and get acclimated to the company. (27.18%)

27 %

Unfortunately, my onboarding and training were done in-person, which I didn’t enjoy. What’s the point in being on-site initially when the job is remote? (5.37%)

5 %

4. Time Management and Remote Work

The preferred method for remote workers to spend time saved by not commuting to work is to practice self-care, including wellness activities like meditation and exercising.

Collaboration is key for remote workers. 65% of remote workers spend between one and four hours a day communicating or working directly with other member members of their teams.

Four in 10 workers feel obligated to work a traditional, eight-hour day even if their work assignments can be completed in fewer hours.

51% of professionals would disclose to an employer that they have more time available in the day to take on extra work. Meanwhile, only 5% of remote workers claimed they do not want to go above and beyond at work.

Working from home, even on a hybrid schedule, saves workers time by not commuting to and from a physical location as often. How do you spend the time you save by not commuting? Select all that apply.*

*Methods of using time saved by not commuting are ranked in order from most to least preferred, as reported by survey respondents with remote work experience.

I practice self-care by taking time to meditate, exercise, or participate in other wellness activities. (315)

I use the saved time to work. (305)

I run errands or tackle to-dos around the house. (285)

I spend quality time with special people or pets in my life. (233)

I pursue hobbies, interests, and passions I otherwise wouldn’t have time to experience. (224)

I get extra sleep, like waking up later in the morning or taking an afternoon nap. (216)

I provide caregiving, such as managing my kids’ school pick-up and drop off routines. (169)

In a given work day, approximately how many hours do you spend collaborating with coworkers?

Less than one hour (26.34%)

26 %

1-2 hours (41.27%)

41 %

3-4 hours (23.66%)

24 %

5 hours or more (8.73%)

9 %

How often do you take breaks during an average work day?

I rarely or never take breaks. (12.08%)

12 %

I take one break at lunch. (48.99%)

49 %

I take a couple of large breaks during the course of the day. (12.92%)

13 %

I take a break at least every 90 minutes. (23.49%)

23 %

I take a break every 30 minutes. (2.52%)

3 %

Do you feel obligated to work a traditional 8 hours per day, even if you are able to complete all of your daily tasks in less time?

Yes. My employer expects workers to be available for 8 hours each day no matter what. (39.59%)

40 %

Somewhat. I don’t feel direct pressure from my employer or manager, but I sometimes feel guilty if I end my day early, even if all of my daily work is done. (18.29%)

18 %

No. I know what is expected of me each day, and if I finish my work early then that’s a boon for me! (31.21%)

31 %

Select this answer if this question does not apply to you (i.e. you have never held a full-time remote position, you are a part-time worker, you are self-employed, or have a shift-dependent schedule based on set hourly blocks, etc.) (10.91%)

11 %

Would you ever disclose to a remote employer that you have time available to take on more tasks during your work day?

Yes. I want to grow in leadership, so taking on more responsibility would be a great way to show initiative and stand out. (51.18%)

51 %

Maybe. My decision would depend on what else I would be asked to do and what, if any, additional perks I would receive. (35.57%)

36 %

No. I want to do what is expected of me in my role, and nothing else. (5.03%)

5 %

8 %

5. Productivity and Remote Work Influence

Remote work does not negatively impact productivity. 46% of workers feel most productive while working from home and only 3% can say the same for working on-site. Just over half of respondents (51%) stated they can work from anywhere as work location does not impact their productivity at all.

Remote workers are split on the prospect of telling a manager that they had been asked to take on too much work. Half of respondents (50%) said they felt comfortable broaching the subject with their managers, but the other have of respondents would need additional motivation to talk to an employer or would not reach out to their employer at all

Even in the age of AI, email and phone are still the dominant tools used by remote workers. Among the most commonly used applications for remote workers to perform their jobs and remain productive, video conferencing and meeting apps, as well as instant messaging and chat apps, are most popular.

Respondents were also split about whether remote workers are “unfairly labeled as unproductive or lazy simply because they work from home.” 46% agree or strongly disagree with the statement; meanwhile, 45% disagree or strongly disagree.

Proponents of on-site-only work arrangements say remote workers are not as productive as their in-office counterparts. How do you rate your own productivity?

I am most productive when I work from home. (46.31%)

46 %

My productivity does not depend on my work location. (50.67%)

51 %

I am most productive when I work on-site. (3.02%)

3 %

Would you be comfortable telling a remote employer that you are saddled with too much work?

Without question. It isn’t beneficial to anyone to suffer from work stress, and my employer would truly want to know. (50.00%)

50 %

Yes, but only if I already had an idea for another job in mind, just in case the conversation goes south. (13.93%)

14 %

Probably, but I would most likely have to reach a breaking point first. (25.50%)

25 %

Doubtful. I am not one for speaking up about anything really, even myself. (5.03%)

5 %

No. My company’s culture is poor and my boss does not seem concerned with employee satisfaction. (5.54%)

6 %

Which of the following tools do you currently use or have you recently used in a remote role to perform your role and remain productive? *Select all that apply.**

*Job performance and productivity tools used by workers with remote job experience are listed in order from most to least used, based on respondent voting.

Email (572)

Phone (516)

Video conferencing and meeting apps (490)

Instant messaging and chat apps (458)

Screen sharing and recording apps (401)

Cloud storage and online office suites (326)

Note-taking and to-do list apps (283)

Presentation apps (272)

Time tracking or reporting apps (240)

Online payments or invoicing apps (211)

Project management software (199)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software (192)

How do you feel about this statement? Remote workers are unfairly labeled as unproductive or lazy simply because they work from home and not under constant physical supervision from a manager.

I strongly agree. (28.52%)

28 %

I agree. (17.62%)

18 %

I’m indifferent or don’t have an opinion on this statement. (8.89%)

9 %

I disagree. (14.60%)

15 %

I strongly disagree. (30.37%)

30 %

About Virtual Vocations

Virtual Vocations, Inc., founded in 2007, is a private, family-owned, and 100% distributed company. Co-founded by CEO Laura Spawn and her brother, CTO Adam Stevenson, Virtual Vocations connects jobseekers with legitimate, fully remote job openings. Virtual Vocations team members screen job postings to ensure the highest quality standards. To date, Virtual Vocations has helped more than four million jobseekers find flexible remote work options.

In addition to managing and curating a database that, at any given time, houses more than 15,000 current, hand-screened remote job openings, Virtual Vocations offers jobseekers a number of tools to aid in their job searches. These tools include exclusive, self-paced career courses, digital guides for popular virtual job industries, and downloadable worksheets. The Career Services Division also provides job coaching and interview prep, LinkedIn profile enhancement, and resume and cover letter writing. Virtual Vocations also releases multiple data-driven reports each year on current trends in remote work.

Send questions about Virtual Vocations’ “2023 Remote Work Productivity Survey” report to Kimberly Back. Kim is the Senior Job Data Content Producer. Please reach out to her at kim (at) virtualvocations (dot) com. We also encourage you to explore Virtual Vocations’ social media profiles and connect with us. Visit Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest for more remote work content and conversations.

Additional Image credits: Canva; Virtual Vocations images prepared by Kimberly Back

Remote Work Productivity Survey: 596 Workers’ Perspectives on Time Management, Collaboration, and More

Virtual Vocations 2023 Remote Work Productivity Survey Results

1. Remote Work History

Have you ever worked from home? (Any level of remote work applies, including partial and hybrid schedules.)

2. Recent Remote Work Status

TRUE or FALSE: In my current or most recent job, I could work from home at least one day per week.

Which of these options more completely describes your current or most recent remote work status?

When considering your current or most recent job, is it a role that could be performed entirely from home?

3. Remote Work Journey

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, which ushered in a boom in remote work. Through September 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics tracked data on how many people worked from home due to the pandemic. Did you work remotely for the first time between March 2020 and September 2022?

What is the total time you have spent working remotely? Give an estimate based on the combined time you have worked from home throughout your professional career.

Think back to your first remote job. Which of these descriptions best matches your initial onboarding / training experience?

4. Time Management and Remote Work

Working from home, even on a hybrid schedule, saves workers time by not commuting to and from a physical location as often. How do you spend the time you save by not commuting? Select all that apply.*

In a given work day, approximately how many hours do you spend collaborating with coworkers?

How often do you take breaks during an average work day?

Do you feel obligated to work a traditional 8 hours per day, even if you are able to complete all of your daily tasks in less time?

Would you ever disclose to a remote employer that you have time available to take on more tasks during your work day?

5. Productivity and Remote Work Influence

Proponents of on-site-only work arrangements say remote workers are not as productive as their in-office counterparts. How do you rate your own productivity?

Would you be comfortable telling a remote employer that you are saddled with too much work?

Which of the following tools do you currently use or have you recently used in a remote role to perform your role and remain productive? *Select all that apply.**

How do you feel about this statement? Remote workers are unfairly labeled as unproductive or lazy simply because they work from home and not under constant physical supervision from a manager.

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Remote Work Productivity Survey: 596 Workers’ Perspectives on Time Management, Collaboration, and More

Virtual Vocations 2023 Remote Work Productivity Survey Results

1. Remote Work History

Have you ever worked from home? (Any level of remote work applies, including partial and hybrid schedules.)

2. Recent Remote Work Status

TRUE or FALSE: In my current or most recent job, I could work from home at least one day per week.

Which of these options more completely describes your current or most recent remote work status?

When considering your current or most recent job, is it a role that could be performed entirely from home?

3. Remote Work Journey

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, which ushered in a boom in remote work. Through September 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics tracked data on how many people worked from home due to the pandemic. Did you work remotely for the first time between March 2020 and September 2022?

What is the total time you have spent working remotely? Give an estimate based on the combined time you have worked from home throughout your professional career.

Think back to your first remote job. Which of these descriptions best matches your initial onboarding / training experience?

4. Time Management and Remote Work

Working from home, even on a hybrid schedule, saves workers time by not commuting to and from a physical location as often. How do you spend the time you save by not commuting? Select all that apply.*

In a given work day, approximately how many hours do you spend collaborating with coworkers?

How often do you take breaks during an average work day?

Do you feel obligated to work a traditional 8 hours per day, even if you are able to complete all of your daily tasks in less time?

Would you ever disclose to a remote employer that you have time available to take on more tasks during your work day?

5. Productivity and Remote Work Influence

Proponents of on-site-only work arrangements say remote workers are not as productive as their in-office counterparts. How do you rate your own productivity?

Would you be comfortable telling a remote employer that you are saddled with too much work?

Which of the following tools do you currently use or have you recently used in a remote role to perform your role and remain productive? Select all that apply.*

How do you feel about this statement? Remote workers are unfairly labeled as unproductive or lazy simply because they work from home and not under constant physical supervision from a manager.

About Virtual Vocations

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Related Categories

Which of the following tools do you currently use or have you recently used in a remote role to perform your role and remain productive? *Select all that apply.**