What started out as a temporary solution is turning out to be something much deeper. Smart working, introduced on a large scale during the pandemic, today also shows unexpected effects on a social level. According to international research led by Cevat Giray Aksoy of King’s College London, remote working could directly impact family choices.
The study, based on data collected between 2023 and 2025 in around 40 countries (including the United Kingdom and the USA), highlights a clear result: couples in which both partners work from home at least one day a week record a 14% increase in fertility compared to those who work exclusively in person.
Less stress, more shared time
It’s not simply about having more free hours. The central point is time management. Eliminating or reducing commuting means recovering energy and reducing a significant part of daily stress. The possibility of dealing with unexpected events without having to disrupt the working day, or of sharing simple moments such as lunch, helps to create a more sustainable balance.
This translates into greater mental and emotional availability to plan a family. In a context where the organizational load weighs especially on parents, flexibility becomes a decisive factor. It’s not the extra time that makes the difference, but the quality of the time.
The economic factor that makes the difference
Alongside the psychological aspects, the economic dimension also emerges strongly. Having a child involves significant costs, often difficult to bear without a stable organization. Remote working allows you to reduce various expenses: transport, fuel, subscriptions and, in many cases, even the use of assistance services.
This economic relief makes a choice more concrete that would otherwise remain suspended. In other words, smart working works like an invisible shock absorber, capable of transforming a family project from difficult to possible.
A possible response to demographic decline
In Europe, and in particular in Italy, the decline in births is one of the most urgent challenges. So far, policies have focused on economic incentives and temporary bonuses. But this research suggests a different perspective. Work flexibility could become a structural tool to support the birth rate. Not an occasional measure, but a stable change in the way of organizing work.
Of course, smart working alone does not solve the problem. We need childcare services, welfare policies and a cultural context that truly supports those who choose to have children. However, the message that emerges is precise: when people have greater control over their daily lives, the propensity to invest in the future increases. And today, that future also includes the possibility of working, at least in part, from home.
You might also be interested in:
