Nearly 80 percent of engineers want to work remote 60 to 100 percent of the time even after the pandemic is over, explained Terminal in a new report titled “The State of Remote Engineering: The 2021 Edition.”
The report found that 86 percent of software engineers are now working entirely remote, compared to only 19 percent of engineers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nearly half (46 percent) say working remotely has made them consider leaving the city they are currently living in. And the majority of engineers surveyed want options in the future for both working from home and the office.
The study also shed light on the growing issue of mental health across the industry, with 38 percent of engineers saying mental health has gotten worse since the coronavirus pandemic broke out.
Although work-life balance and less stress were cited among the top benefits of working remotely, more engineers reported feeling isolated, less collaborative, and lonely compared to last year:
- Lack of day to day interaction— 58 percent in 2020, nearly a 15 point jump from last year
- Harder to collaborate or feel part of a team—39 percent, a 5 point increase compared to 2019
- Loneliness or feelings of isolation— 39 percent, up 17 points compared to 2019
