Measuring Work from Home

Shelby R. Buckman; Jose Maria Barrero; Nicholas Bloom; Steven J. Davis

doi:10.3386/w33508

Measuring Work from Home

Shelby R. Buckman, Jose Maria Barrero, Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis

Working Paper 33508

DOI 10.3386/w33508

Issue Date February 2025

Headline estimates for the extent of work from home (WFH) differ widely across U.S. surveys. The differences shrink greatly when we harmonize with respect to the WFH concept, target population, and question design. As of 2025, our preferred estimates say that WFH accounts for a quarter of paid workdays among Americans aged 20-64. The WFH rate is seven percentage points higher for workers with children under eight in the household and about two percentage points higher for women than men. Desired WFH rates exceed actual rates in every major demographic group – more so for women, workers with young children, and less educated workers.

We thank the National Science Foundation, Russel Sage Foundation and the Smith Richardson Foundation for funding for this research project. We thank Mert Akan and Hyoseul Kim for helpful comments and research assistance. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Nicholas Bloom
I worked for McKinsey and company as a management consultant from 2001-2002. I have not received any funding from them after that time.

I am part of the Toulouse Network for Information Technology, which carries out research on IT and productivity. From this network I receive an annual honorarium, which is funded by Microsoft.

I do occasional consulting on management practices for government and policy agencies, like the Canadian Government, the World Bank, the European Union, the British Government, and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development.

I produced a report in 2008 for the World Economic Forum on management practices in private equity for which I received an honorarium.

I am a paid speaker at corporate events at which I discuss among other things working from home, management practices and policy uncertainty.

Steven J. Davis
I own more than $5,000 in stock of Charles River Associates.
MARC RIS BibTeΧ

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