This article has been translated • Hello. I'm Toshiki, researching hybrid work.
Starting this time, we have established a new category related to hybrid work in Work SaaS Media, We will provide useful information for hybrid work.
The first session will focus on the relationship between hybrid work and birth rates. Hybrid work combines the advantages of going to the office with that of remote work, allowing for the optimal combination tailored to the company's situation. This time, the focus is on the benefits of remote work. Until now, remote work has focused on stress reduction through shorter commuting times. There are various benefits, such as maintaining concentration and improving productivity because you are not interrupted during work, and contributing to housework and childcare during commuting, but there has been little research on how much impact it has on society.
What I want to highlight this time is that remote work and hybrid work have a social impact. A globally authoritative remote work research team has proven a causal relationship between hybrid work and birth rates.
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Paper: "Work from Home and Fertility" (NBER WP 34963)
Authors: Steven J. Davis, Cevat Giray Aksoy, Jose Maria Barrero, Nicholas Bloom, Katelyn Cranney, Mathias Dolls, Pablo Zarate (January 2026 Edition)
Research Objectives and Data
Examining the relationship between working from home (WFH) and birth rates in the post-COVID era. Using two types of proprietary data:
G-SWA (38 countries, ages 20–45, 11,314 people) SWAA (USA, monthly survey, 89,886 people)
Key Discoveries Individual level: People who WFH at least one day per week have higher realized birth rates (number of births in 2023–25), future birth plans, and lifetime fertility rates. The trend is similar for both men and women.
Maximum effect at the couple level: When both partners WFH at least one day per week, the lifetime fertility rate (realized + planned) is: Among the 38 countries, the average number of births per woman is 0.32 more (14.3% of the average birth rate) In the United States, it is 0.45 more (17.5% of the previous year).
Support for causality: Even in the age group of 30–45, where occupational choices are almost fixed, the higher the likelihood of WFH (calculated from job listings) by occupation, the higher the birth rate in the most recent year. The simple explanation of 'simply choosing a job that is easier for raising children' cannot fully explain this.
Contribution to the Entire Country: In the United States, WFH is estimated to contribute 8.1% (about 291,000 people) to annual births. This is greater than the effect of U.S. government spending on early childhood education and childcare boosting birth rates In countries like Japan and South Korea, where WFH penetration rates are low, expanding WFH to the level of the US and UK could expect an annual increase of +32,000 births in Japan and about +11,000 in South Korea
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There is growing potential for hybrid work support to have a significant impact on society. For those promoting work styles in companies, companies are public institutions of society, so I hope you will also consider their impact on society. Why not start by reviewing your company's hybrid work ratio?
For consultations about implementing hybrid work, click here