Working from home is associated with higher fertility rates, according to a major international study.
Data spanning 38 countries show that when both partners work from home at least one day a week, lifetime fertility rises by 0.32 children per woman. In the U.S., the increase reaches 0.45 children.
The study was conducted by Steven J. Davis and colleagues and published as a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), titled ‘Work from Home and Fertility’.
Researchers analyzed adults aged 20 to 45. Lifetime fertility includes both existing and planned children. Among couples where neither partner works from home, average fertility stands at 2.26 children per woman. That figure climbs to 2.58 if both partners telecommute at least once weekly.
Three possible explanations were considered:
- Remote work helps parents balance careers and childcare.
- Families with children seek jobs offering flexibility.
- Access to remote roles expands career paths favorable to raising children.
All suggest that remote work eases the tension between parenting and employment.
Findings held true both before and after the pandemic. Nationally, the effect varies based on how widespread remote work is. For example, Japan sees low adoption, while the U.K. leads in Europe with over half of eligible workers engaging in some form of remote labor.
If applied causally, remote work accounts for roughly 8.1% of total U.S. fertility-about 291,000 additional births annually as of 2024. That impact exceeds public investments in early childhood education.
However, researchers warn against blanket policies enforcing remote work. Productivity and worker satisfaction depend heavily on individual preferences and job types.
Flexible work arrangements are especially beneficial for parents, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities. A separate U.K. parliamentary analysis supports these findings, linking hybrid models to improved employment outcomes.