December 7th, 2023, Lesley Simeon
Not too long ago, we had the pandemic pushing people to work remotely. Baking banana breads, whipping up Dalgona coffees and picking up home décor ideas from Pinterest helped us survive remote working, and when lockdowns were lifted, some argued that it was followed by the ‘Great Resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’. So, with the pandemic now firmly in our rearview mirror - what does the world’s employment situation look like today?
A recent YouGov survey asked respondents across 17 international markets about their current employment situation. Right at the top of our list and the biggest group come the three in ten consumers (30%) who say they are not currently employed. This group includes people that are possibly still studying, are looking for jobs or have retired etc.
Just over a quarter of those polled (26%) currently work out of an office, warehouse, shared working space etc., and so work entirely away from home. Of those polled, an additional 15% of people across all markets primarily work away from home.
Fewer than one in ten respondents either currently work from home only, work from home primarily, or work from home and away from home equally (7% each).
YouGov’s demographic data reveals that more men (28%) than women (24%) currently work away from home only.
Further, a third (33%) of women across all markets are currently not employed – making them more likely than men (27%) to say so.
Less than a quarter of them (24%) work away from home only. Similar proportions of women and men work from home only or work from home and away from home equally (7%).
Employment situation, by market
Currently unemployed
Canadians account for the largest share of consumers across all the markets we survey (39%) who say they are currently not employed. This group includes people that are possibly still studying, are looking for jobs or have retired etc. Americans follow at a close second (38%). Recently, the US Labor Department reported that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits weekly had increased moderately. More than a third of all respondents in markets like Australia (36%), Great Britain (36%) Germany (35%) and France (34%) claim they are currently unemployed.
In the Nordic markets, less than a third are currently unemployed (31% in Denmark and 32% in Sweden).
On the other hand, just 11% of those surveyed in Hong Kong are currently unemployed.
Work away from home
Among those who say they work away from home only, Hong Kongers lead (44%) followed by Emirates (35%) and Spanish (33%). In Indonesia, a larger proportion of Indonesians (28%) prefer working away from home only.
Canadians (19%), Americans (20%) and Brits (20%) are the least likely to work away from home only. Notably, working away from home only is the most preferred work arrangement for Canadians, Americans and Brits.
Within India, people are most likely to say they work away from home only (22%).
Further, Hong Kongers are the most likely across all the markets we survey (34%) to say they work away from home primarily, followed by the Danes and Emiratis (22% each) at a distant second. Conversely, Canadians and Americans (9%) are least likely across all markets to say they work away from home primarily.
Work from home
Working from home only is most popular in India - less than two in ten Indians (18%) work from home only, followed by Americans and Canadians (10% each) at a distant second. Just 2% of Danes and Hong Kongers currently work from home only.
As for those who work from home primarily, Brits and Indonesians (11% each) lead. Hong Kongers are least likely to work from home primarily (3%).
Work from home and away from home equally
As for those who most prefer a hybrid model of work i.e. work from home and away from home equally - while numbers across all markets offer a mixed bag, Singaporeans are the exception, recording a double-digit figure. Less than two in ten Singaporeans (16%) split their worktime between home and away from home equally. Australians (8%) and Britons (8% each) follow Singapore, at half the latter’s share.
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 509 and 2003 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in July 2023. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.
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