What We Learned in Three Charts: Digital Divide and Remote Work

Harvard Business School research continues to reveal the contours of a workforce changed by COVID-19. And yet, despite the technological advancements of the past five years, a digital divide persists.Some things we learned include:

• Many workers are lagging in digital literacy: Researchers found that rural areas significantly lagged behind cities in digital usage. More digital usage occurs in more densely-populated areas with more broadband access, higher incomes, and more education. There is lessusage in areas with older populations, and more male and White residents.
• Migrant-local collaborations benefit communities: Researchers held a two-day entrepreneurial boot camp as a field experiment. Among the participating boot camp members by team, compared to the teams made up entirely of local residents, the teams with locals mixed with migrants were more likely to address important social problems and help more people.
• Many people would give up pay for remote work: When researchers asked more than 2,000 workers if they would be willing to give up part of their salaries to keep their flexibility rather than return to the office five days a week or find a new job, 40 percent said they would accept a pay cut of 5 percent or more. Another 9 percent of respondents would trade 20 percent or more of their salaries to avoid the office.