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A Third of Remote Workers Say Weak Internet Has Hurt Their Productivity

With so many of us working from home, a strong internet connection has never been more important. A recent survey found that a third of respondents have seen their productivity slip due to bad internet.

Jason Cohen
 & Jason Cohen Senior Editor, Help & How To

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Now that so many of us are working remotely, we've become reliant on our home internet connections more than ever. Unfortunately, in many instances, ISPs have been unable to keep up with this increase in demand.

According to a survey conducted by WhistleOut, more than 35 percent of respondents said a weak internet connection has prevented them from doing their work at some point. While there were only 386 respondents in total, other data points paint a clearer picture as to the state of our internet connections. 

WhistleOut discovered that 65 percent of people have had video calls cut out, freeze, or drop completely because of a weak connection. There is already evidence that broadband internet connections are slowing down and that many people don't have access to the kind of connections they need. 

Also, 43 percent of respondents say they have been forced to use their phone as a hotspot. Given that 83 percent say they couldn't do more than a half day of work without internet, a hotspot may be necessary for those dealing with less-than-optimal connections. 

In case you're wondering how your connection is holding up, you can measure your internet speed. There are ways to troubleshoot your connection or give Wi-Fi a boost. More complicated solves may require you to buy a new router and optimize it for a better Wi-Fi performance. 

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About Our Expert

Jason Cohen

Jason Cohen

Senior Editor, Help & How To

My Experience

As PCMag's editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.

I believe tech corporations are bad, but you might as well know how to use technology in everyday life. Want more how to content delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the tips and tricks newsletter that I curate twice a week.

The Technology I Use

My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I also have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it's already becoming a little long in the tooth.

My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I'm a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.

Whenever I have a second to myself, I'm probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.

  • Breaking down complicated and confusing processes into simplified instructions
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