Service providers will benefit by adjusting to the sophistication and needs of remote workers, a segment that grew extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic and is here to stay, according to a remote workers study from Parks and Associates.

Fifty-four percent of employed people worked remotely throughout the pandemic and at least one person worked at home in 38 million households, according to the market research firm’s “Work Transformed: Impact on Communications and Technology Markets.”

Remote Workers Study

The report found that remote workers are more affluent and that 57% self-identify as innovators or early adopters. Forty-nine percent of non-remote workers self-identify in this way.

The report also found that value-added services such as cybersecurity are popular among small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). For this group, two of the top three overall concerns relate to home working involve cybersecurity, including security of home networks and security of company files. The report notes that these concerns were greater than the need for collaboration and productivity.

“Effective work at home requires a strong service ‘partner’ for the household tech and services,” Parks Associates President and CEO Elizabeth Parks said in a press release. “With service adoption, remote workers are more likely to be NPS promoters for their ISP compared to the typical consumer. In the future, consumers are more likely to use multiple forms of data service within their home and while on the go. Service and solution providers looking to gain an advantage or build new business opportunities in the residential and SMB markets will adjust their service offerings to meet these new, emergent needs.”

The research says that companies are focusing on Zero Trust security that entails continual validation of users. This means that home workers are likely to require more sophisticated equipment and robust broadband. Remote workers are more likely than those not working remotely to pay for whole home cyber security and similar services. The research also found that remote workers are likely to reevaluate and adjust their broadband services, the report says.