Key Takeaways
- Over 10% of remote workers don't lock their car and house doors and windows during work hours.
- Due to home security concerns, 13% of remote workers are considering returning to an office setting.
- 13% of remote workers are considering returning to the office because they don't feel safe working from home.
- Over 90% of remote workers have gone a full workday without leaving their house.
- On average, remote workers have gone up to 3 days without leaving their homes.
- 15% of remote workers have experienced package theft while working from home.
Evolving work environments and security challenges
As work environments evolve, so do their security concerns. Whether in an office or working remotely, employees face unique challenges in safeguarding their homes and personal well-being. Our latest report reveals the security habits and concerns of both in-office and remote workers and how our work environments can impact our sense of safety.
Through a comprehensive survey of 1,000 American employees—split evenly between in-office and remote workers—our results here explore the hidden costs of workplace safety concerns and the innovative measures individuals are taking to protect their homes and peace of mind.
Home security concerns for in-office workers
As employees return to office settings, a new set of worries emerges—not just about workplace safety, but about the security of their unattended homes. This section explores the various home security concerns that plague in-office workers and the measures they take to address these anxieties.
We noticed significant concern among in-office workers regarding their home security. While at work, 42% of employees worried about the safety of their unoccupied residences. This anxiety manifested in various ways, with package theft topping the list of primary home security concerns for in-office workers. The most common worries were as follows:
- Package theft (porch pirates): 55%
- Safety of family members or pets: 46%
- Unauthorized access to property (e.g., trespassing): 39%
- Burglary: 39%
- Fire or other emergency: 36%
Over 50% of in-office workers also expressed concerns about privacy or the reliability of AI-driven security technologies, reflecting broader apprehensions about the systems they rely on for safety.
Their safety concerns weren't unfounded, as nearly 20% of in-office workers reported experiencing package theft during the workday. In response, over 55% wanted package lockers available at their offices to mitigate this risk.
The anxiety around home security led to various behaviors and time investments. Two in five in-office workers with home security systems checked their cameras multiple times a day while at work, spending an average of 65 hours per worker annually on this task. Men spent more time monitoring their homes (87 hours annually) than women (70 hours). Generationally, millennials were the most vigilant, dedicating 87 hours annually to checking their home security cameras, followed by Gen X (74 hours), Gen Z (65 hours), and baby boomers (44 hours).
Despite these concerns, 5% of in-office workers admitted to leaving their car and house doors and windows unlocked during the workday. Additionally, 1 in 4 in-office workers did not have a plan in place for home security emergencies. To create an illusion of occupancy, 60% of in-office workers took measures to make it appear as if someone was home during the day.
The impact of these security worries extended beyond mere anxiety, with nearly 2 in 5 in-office workers expressing a preference for remote work due to security concerns at their current work location. However, 25% of in-office workers reported feeling an increased sense of security when working around other people.
Balancing home and work safety
The shift to remote work has brought new challenges in maintaining home security while managing professional responsibilities. This section examines remote workers' security habits and concerns, highlighting the unique aspects of safeguarding both digital and physical spaces in a home office environment.
We found that 30% of remote workers were concerned about home security while working from home. Still, over 10% of remote workers admitted to not locking their car and house doors and windows during work hours, potentially compromising their safety.
Remote workers reported various primary security concerns. The most common were:
- Package theft (porch pirates): 39%
- Cyber threats (e.g., Wi-Fi hacking, phishing attacks): 37%
- Unauthorized access to property (e.g., trespassing): 29%
- Safety of family members or pets: 25%
- Fire or other emergency while alone: 24%
These concerns weren't unfounded, as 15% of remote workers reported experiencing package theft while working from home. Among those with home security systems, 60% actively monitored their system during work hours, spending an average of 15 minutes each day on this task.
The impact of remote work on personal habits was significant. Over 90% of remote workers had gone a full workday without leaving their house, with the average remote worker staying indoors for up to three consecutive days. This isolation affected some remote workers psychologically, with 1 in 4 reporting feelings of loneliness at work.
Security concerns influenced future work preferences for some remote employees, with 13% considering returning to an office setting due to home security concerns. Additionally, 10% of remote workers planned to upgrade their home security system within the next year, likely in response to these worries.
While most remote workers felt secure in their home office environment, 6% reported not feeling psychologically safe at work. This data point, along with the loneliness statistics, suggests that the impact of remote work extends beyond physical security to encompass mental well-being as well.
Work environments and home security in the modern era
Whether navigating the anxieties of leaving an empty home during office hours or grappling with the isolation of remote work, employees are adapting their behaviors and investing time and resources into feeling secure. As the boundaries between work and home continue to blur, the importance of comprehensive security solutions that cater to diverse work arrangements becomes increasingly apparent. By understanding and addressing these concerns, we can create safer, more productive work environments—wherever they may be.
