Remote Work Is Still Rising in 2025, BLS Data Shows
New Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveals more than a third of workers still work from home, and that share actually grew in 2025.
The office isn't winning. Despite a wave of high-profile return-to-office mandates, new Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that more than one-third of U.S. employees are still working from home — and that number went *up* in 2025 compared to the year before. So much for the RTO revolution.
This is a direct gut-punch to every CEO who made headlines forcing workers back to their desks. The data says employees found a way around it, or companies backed off more than they let on publicly. Either way, the remote-work era isn't a pandemic relic — it's a structural shift in how America does business.
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For traders and investors, this matters more than you might think. Remote work trends ripple through commercial real estate valuations, urban retail foot traffic, commuter-related stocks, and even residential housing markets. If remote work is still growing, that's continued pressure on office REITs and continued tailwinds for suburban housing demand.
For workers, the takeaway is simple: your leverage hasn't evaporated. If more than a third of employees are still working from home even under RTO pressure, that means flexibility remains a real, negotiable benefit — not a favor your employer is doing you. Know your position before your next review.
The gap between what companies announce and what workers actually do is widening. Watch this space — the BLS numbers will keep forcing an honest conversation that corporate PR teams would rather avoid. Continue reading at US Top News and Analysis.
