Working from home linked to higher fertility, major new study finds

A new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), covering 38 countries, has found that estimated lifetime fertility is higher by 0.32 children per woman when both partners work from home at least one day per week, compared with couples where neither does. The pattern holds across pre- and post-pandemic data.

The finding adds a significant demographic dimension to the European remote work debate. With birth rates declining across the EU – several member states are at historic lows – remote work policy is increasingly relevant not just as an employment issue but as a tool for addressing Europe’s demographic challenges. Governments considering remote work legislation now have additional evidence that flexibility policies have societal benefits beyond workplace productivity.

For remote workers already balancing family life with location independence, the study validates what many have experienced firsthand: the flexibility to work from home makes it materially easier to have and raise children. This is particularly relevant in countries like Spain, where the birth rate has fallen to among the lowest in Europe.