In 2014 there were 26 U.S. companies operating 100 percent virtually, and by 2017 that number grew to 170 — representing a 650 percent spike in popularity — according to CNBC.
The development of online tools such as Slack and Dropbox have made it easier for employees to communicate and collaborate across remote locations. Demand from employees has also driven the move toward remote work, as younger workers enjoy the flexibility of working from home.
According to Gallup's "State of the American Workplace" survey, over one-third of people would change jobs in order to work remotely, and younger employees expect most positions to offer remote work flexibility. As this demographic is predicted to make up 46 percent of the workforce by 2020, the growth of virtual offices is expected to grow at an even faster rate.