As fertility rates decline across much of the globe, working from home may offer a way to raise them. Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford University economics professor and specialist in remote work, estimates that the practice has increased fertility by 5% in the US and Northern Europe. The association is particularly strong among university-educated women aged 30 and over who already have one child. His estimate links remote working arrangements with higher fertility in both regions.
One explanation, according to Bloom, is that remote work makes the practical demands of childcare more manageable. Taking a child to a doctor, dentist or orthodontist, responding to a problem at school, and arranging an early collection can all be difficult within a working day spent away from home. Bloom contrasts these responsibilities with a schedule in which a parent leaves the house at eight in the morning and returns at six in the evening. Working from home makes it easier to accommodate such demands.
There is also a more direct connection: couples who work remotely have more opportunities to conceive. Bloom notes that conception can become more difficult beyond the age of 30, and particularly after 35, when timing is an important consideration. In his explanation, remote work makes that timing easier to manage. Its connection with fertility therefore involves both the practicalities of caring for an existing child and the opportunities to become pregnant again.
