By now, Americans are well-versed in the work-from-home lifestyle. It’s been years since the sudden shift to remote work at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now people are very comfortable with this working situation. So comfortable, in fact, remote workers are doing a lot more than their job while on the clock, and many think their employers are spying on them!
At CraftJack, we were interested to see how WFH habits have changed since our 2022 report. Are remote workers working hard … or hardly working? For the 2023 report we surveyed 1,000 workers, 68% of whom work at home fully or part-time along with 32% who work entirely in person.
While more than one in three (36%) remote workers get lonely working from home, 39% shared this type of work has improved their mental health. More than four in five (81%) find it easier to eat healthy at home (it must be the close proximity to the fridge!).
More than half (55%) are trying to get a more supportive desk and chair for their WFH setup, but 67% said it’s currently too expensive for them to buy. Since 2020, Americans have invested a lot in expanding and remodeling their home offices, spending an average of $788. But 77% believe companies should be helping with this cost by providing WFH equipment such as ergonomic chairs and standing desks for their remote workers.
One other issue many workers have run into: cleanliness. With their home serving as both their place of residence and workspace, 17% of remote workers are finding it harder to keep their homes clean. It’s gotten so tough that nearly one in six (15%) have ended up hiring a cleaning service.
Most remote workers aren’t looking to return to the office and don’t think companies should be allowed to require it. Sixty-two percent of remote workers say nothing would entice them to return to the office, and more than one in two (51%) would quit if forced to return.
Remote workers do miss some parts of working in the office: the ability to talk to others in person, the sociability, and how it’s easier to separate work from home life. However, it can’t top some of the WFH perks such as no commute, flexibility and work-life balance.
CraftJack
Americans Had Much to Share about Their Good (and Bad) Work Habits in 2023
Top five activities employees do on the clock
| Laundry | 60% |
| Cooking | 54% |
| Dishes | 46% |
| Watch movies or TV | 43% |
| Errands | 33% |
| Get lonely while working from home | 36% |
| Find it easier to eat healthy while working from home | 81% |
| Feel working from home has improved their mental health | 39% |
Attitudes toward WFH Office
| Think companies should provide WFH equipment: | 77% |
| Prefer functionality over style for their WFH setup: | 90% |
| Want a more supportive desk and chair for their WFH setup: | 55% |
| Think it is too expensive, currently, for them to buy desk and chair: | 67% |
| Average amount Americans have spent on their WFH setup since 2020: | $788 |
Return to Work?
| Remote workers like working from home | 98% |
| In-person workers like working in the office | 66% |
| Don’t think companies should require workers to return to the office | 61% |
| Remote workers say nothing would entice them to return to the office | 62% |
| Think employers should pay employees more to work in the office: | 77% |
Methodology
In June 2023, for the “Nationwide Survey of Remote Work Habits and Trends in 2023,” we surveyed 1,005 workers about their work environment and habits. Thirty-two percent work remotely, 36% in hybrid jobs and 32% in person. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 85, with an average age of 41; 50% were male, 49% were female, 1% were non-binary, and 1% would rather not say.
People surveyed worked in a variety of industries that include 13% in tech/IT, 11% in health, 10% in retail, 9% in education, 9% in finance, 9% in business/marketing, 6% in manufacturing and 5% in arts and entertainment.
Did You Know: According to CraftJack’s “Nationwide Survey of Remote Work Habits and Trends in 2023,” nearly one in four (23%) remote workers believe their employer secretly monitors them to make sure they’re working, so some have started using “mouse jigglers” — physical devices or software used to simulate the movement of a mouse to keep computers from going inactive. While the majority of survey respondents didn’t ‘fess up to doing that, a full one in 10 Gen Z-ers admitted to using a mouse jiggler.
