Ranks of remote workers expected to double in five years

The number of remote workers is expected to be nearly double what it was before Covid-19 within five years, according to Upwork’s Future Workforce Pulse Report.

By 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be remote, an increase of 16.8 million people from pre-pandemic rates, the report says. Hiring managers predict that workers will gradually return to the office, with only 26.7% of the workforce fully remote a year from now.

One-third of workers will be working remotely at least some of the time in the long-run, the report says. By comparison, only 12.3% of U.S. employees were working remotely before the pandemic.

Many employees working in offices may be in different types of spaces in the future. Some companies may employ hybrid strategies where employees work at home for a few days a week or use flexible spaces that function as regional hubs.