Parks Associates Finds 38 Million Households had at Least One Member Working Remotely at Home During 2021

Parks Associates’ research finds that over half (54%) of those employed worked remotely throughout the pandemic, with approximately 38 million households having at least one household member working at home during 2021.
“The affinity for technology among these remote workers drives higher rates of device ownership across almost every category we survey, so they are prime sales targets for smart home devices, new home services, and faster internet services.”
Two of the top three concerns for SMBs regarding remote working relate to cybersecurity, ahead of collaboration, and productivity concerns.

Parks Associates’ research finds that over half (54%) of those employed worked remotely throughout the pandemic, with approximately 38 million households having at least one household member working at home during 2021. The research report Work Transformed: Impact on Communications and Technology Markets addresses remote worker demographics, device ownership rates, internet usage, and interest in future communications and broadband services.

“Remote workers tend to be younger and more affluent, and more than half (57%) self-identify as technology ‘innovators’ or ‘early adopters,’ versus only 49% of non-remote employees,” said Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO, Parks Associates. “The affinity for technology among these remote workers drives higher rates of device ownership across almost every category we survey, so they are prime sales targets for smart home devices, new home services, and faster internet services.”

Value-added services such as cybersecurity are also popular among small-to-medium businesses (SMBs). Two of the top three concerns for SMBs regarding remote working relate to cybersecurity, ahead of collaboration, and productivity concerns. The report notes that firms are increasingly adopting “Zero Trust” security principles and architecture, requiring continuous validation among users to counter modern threats, so remote workers are more likely to require more advanced devices and strong internet connections to work effectively. Remote workers frequently adopt value-added services and are more likely than non-remote workers to pay additional fees for services such as whole-home cybersecurity. In addition, remote workers frequently reevaluate their broadband needs and tweak their services accordingly.

“Effective work at home requires a strong service ‘partner’ for the household tech and services,” Parks said. “With service adoption, remote workers are more likely to be NPS promoters for their ISP compared to the typical consumer. In the future, consumers are more likely to use multiple forms of data service within their home and while on the go. Service and solution providers looking to gain an advantage or build new business opportunities in the residential and SMB markets will adjust their service offerings to meet these new, emergent needs.”

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