Can Most Jobs Be Done Remotely?

The transition to remote working has been on the radar of experts for years now, but none could have predicted that the move would have happened seemingly overnight.

According to the 5th edition of Oxford University and Citi’s Technology at Work report, having the proper technology integrated in the workplace made this transition possible and proved that many jobs can be done remotely.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that remote work is possible. We examined 483 occupations and found that 113 of them can be performed remotely,” said Carl Benedikt Frey, Oxford Martin Citi Fellow and Director of the Future of Work Programme at the Oxford Martin School. “Importantly though, those 113 occupations employ 52% of the U.S. workforce.”

Research has found that remote work has a positive impact on productivity, and analysis from Tilburg University has revealed that remote workers have the ability to work more efficiently.

However, some respondents expressed concern over how working remotely in the long-term would impact their sense of purpose and whether they are equipped with the right resources to truly make the most out of these arrangements.

Although both the Oxford and Tilburg studies found that several jobs can successfully be done remotely, they pointed out that not all positions are suited for remote work.

“Working from home is not an option for every job, but there is clear evidence that it can have major advantages in the right applications and with the right workers,” the authors of the Oxford study said.