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Global Study Links Home Office Access to Higher Birth Rates

Researchers cite flexibility as a likely driver of the pattern, with causality not yet proven.

Overview

  • The association is strongest in the United States, with about 18% more births per woman among couples with home office access.
  • Modeling indicates Germany could see roughly 13,500 additional births a year if remote-work prevalence matched the U.S.
  • When both partners work from home at least weekly, the uplift is largest, translating to roughly one in three women having one additional child over a lifetime compared with non‑WFH couples.
  • Findings draw on the Global Survey of Working Arrangements across 38 countries with 19,277 respondents, including 11,314 aged 20–45, plus a separate U.S. sample of about 90,000.
  • Authors note the link may partly reflect selection, as people planning children might seek flexible jobs, so the results show correlation rather than proven cause.