(IntegrityTimes.com) – The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released new data showing that 35% of working Americans work partly or fully from home. The 2023 statistics are roughly the same as those from 2022, which showed that 34% of Americans worked in remote or hybrid job roles. The data suggests that the practice has become an accepted norm since it was adopted out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic, roughly 24% of Americans worked from home. BLS data has also indicated that those working from home work on average 5.1 hours a day compared to an average of 7.9 hours a day for office workers. This difference may reflect a more efficient work environment in which workers face fewer distractions from co-workers and meetings.
Elon Musk has heavily criticized working from home, calling it “morally wrong”. The billionaire argued that it was hypocritical for those able to work from home to expect those working in the service industry to show up for work. He told advocates for remote work to get off their “high horse” when those producing goods for consumers lack the option to work remotely.
Remote workers have criticized measures brought in since the practice became the norm for many businesses. Though shifting over to more remote work has proven to be efficient for many businesses, many workers are uncomfortable with the level of surveillance several businesses rely on to ensure workers are not taking advantage of the luxury of working from home. Hubstaff is a tool used by companies to remotely monitor their employees’ computer activity.
One worker, Mae, who works in marketing, told reporters that Zoom calls showed as 0% activity, even though she was in work meetings. Some webcams even track eye movement so that businesses can check their employees are paying attention to their work. On the flipside, it is possible for employees to “cheat” activity-monitoring systems by simulating mouse movement. Another trick can involve appearing to work just in time for screenshots that the monitoring software takes.
Experts have advised employees who want to avoid returning to the office to demonstrate higher productivity levels to their employers when working remotely. Studies have indicated that employees are more likely to remain loyal to a company if it is more flexible regarding hybrid and remote work. According to the new BLS data, over half of Americans working from home earn at least $1,876 a week, and more than half of workers who are self-employed work at home.
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