Measuring Trends in Work From Home: Evidence from Six U.S. Datasets

Bick, Alexander; Blandin, Adam; Caplan, Aidan; Caplan, Tristan

doi:10.20955/wp.2024.023

Working Paper Revision

Measuring Trends in Work From Home: Evidence from Six U.S. Datasets

Abstract: This paper documents the prevalence of work from home (WFH) in six U.S. data sets. These surveys measure WFH using different questions, reference periods, samples, and survey collection methods. Once we construct samples and WFH measures that are comparable across surveys, all surveys broadly agree about the trajectory of aggregate WFH since the Covid-19 outbreak. The most important source of disagreement in the level of WFH across surveys is in WFH by self-employed workers; by contrast, surveys closely agree on rates of WFH among employees. All surveys agree that in 2024 WFH remains substantially above pre-pandemic levels. We also highlight that full-time WFH drove most of the increase in aggregate WFH during and after the pandemic but part-time WFH has become a more significant contributor since 2022. Finally, we validate findings from survey data by comparing self-reported commuting behavior to cellphone geolocation data from Google Workplace Visits.

Keywords: work from home; remote work; telecommuting; commuting; data set comparisons;

JEL Classification: I18; J21; J22; J24; L23;

https://doi.org/10.20955/wp.2024.023