Workforce demographic data helps explain why flexible staffing matters, while avoiding assumptions about any individual worker. Staffing decisions affect people with different schedules, household responsibilities, and access to work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2025, 28.6% of people in office and administrative support occupations worked at home on an average day. The same table reports different patterns by class of worker and occupation, so a buyer should avoid turning a group statistic into a promise about availability.
Remote worker geography and demographics
The BLS time-use table is a population measure. It reports counts, shares, and average hours for people who worked on their main job. It does not identify why a person works at home, and it should not be used to screen out a person based on household status.
Key stats
Verified August 11, 2026Key takeaways
- The same occupation can contain both workplace and home-based work.
- Group averages describe patterns, not an individual’s schedule, skills, or care responsibilities.
- A fair buyer conversation should define required overlap and outputs without asking for unnecessary personal information.
Why flexibility can change the talent pool
A role that can be completed remotely may be accessible to people who cannot commute every day. That is a potential hiring benefit, not a guarantee of performance. The buyer still needs a clear work sample, communication standard, and fair evaluation.
Define the work, not the private life
State the time windows, response expectations, tools, and deliverables that the role actually requires. Avoid collecting personal details that do not affect the work. The better the role is described, the less the decision depends on assumptions.
Consolidated statistics
| Measure | Finding | Limit or use |
|---|---|---|
| BLS 2025 measure | Office and administrative support | Meaning |
| At workplace | 74.0% of those who worked | Average-day location |
| At home | 28.6% of those who worked | Average-day location |
| Hours at home | 6.02 average hours | Among those working at home |
For a related buyer context, read the hiring evidence. For a second comparison, see the labor research.
Methodology and limits
Facts were checked against the linked public sources on August 11, 2026. Findings include the unit, period, population, and source context available in each register. Survey and incident datasets can be revised or sampled, and none predicts an individual provider, worker, or buyer outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Does the data show who is a good remote worker?
No. It describes work location and time at an occupation-group level. It cannot score an individual.
Should a buyer ask about caregiving?
Ask only about job requirements such as overlap and response windows. Do not require private information that is unrelated to the work.
What should replace assumptions?
Use a role brief, a relevant sample, and a clear method for reviewing completed work.
Sources
10 visible sources, verified August 11, 2026
- BLS time-use table 7, 2025
- BLS American Time Use Survey
- BLS women in the labor force
- BLS families and labor force
- Census household pulse data
- Census BTOS work from home
- EEOC small business resources
- DOL FMLA employer guide
- SBA hiring employees
- BLS employment situation
A practical next step
Use the evidence as a starting point, then compare one defined role with a safe work sample and a named review owner. A free consultation can help scope that comparison without treating a public statistic as a promise.
