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Recent Data Shows Remote Workers More Likely To Be Fired

In 2023, remote workers had a 35% increased chance of having their jobs terminated compared to hybrid or fully in-person employees, according to Live Data Technologies. Wayfair executives agree — they recently told their staff that remote workers would be the most vulnerable in the company’s layoff of 1,650 workers. This announcement came weeks after the CEO expressed concerns about productivity and told employees, “Working long hours, being responsive, blending work and life, is not anything to shy away from. There is not a lot of history of laziness being rewarded with success.” Live Data reported companies promote remote workers less frequently, while the Federal Reserve Bank noted remote employees receive less feedback.

Why are remote workers at such a disadvantage? Professor Terri Kurtzberg of Rutgers Business School told Inc. managers are still determining how to manage remote employees. Evaluations of and connections with those employees are more challenging. Thus, when hiring managers learn they must cut staff, it is easier to pick people with whom they do not have a strong personal relationship. Likewise, remote workers are more likely to quit their positions. The Wall Street Journal reports that 12% of remote workers left their jobs in 2023 compared to 9% of hybrid and in-office employees. Some experts attribute this increased turnover to stricter return-to-office policies, which employers like Amazon have implemented. However, Inc. notes that remote job opportunities are shrinking, with most employers favoring hybrid or in-person work.