The Briefing

• The Chinese economy grew by 4.9% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2020.
• Growth for the first three quarters of 2020 is now up 0.7% from a year ago.

China Posts Positive Q3 Growth Numbers

China became the first major economy to return to its pre-virus growth trajectory, posting positive growth numbers in Q2 2020. Now, China’s National Bureau of Statistics has reported third-quarter GDP growth that is up 4.9% from a year ago.

The Road to Recovery

Like the rest of the world, China’s economy took a hit when pandemic-induced lockdowns shut down businesses and factories across the country.

However, the world’s second largest economy was one of the first to put COVID-19 restrictions in place, which could explain why it was the first major country to report growth as stores and factories began to reopen post-lockdown.

Here’s a look at China’s GDP growth in recent times:

Are These Numbers Good?

Many countries around the world see China as a barometer of what post COVID-19 recovery could potentially look like, so new quarterly numbers have taken on some significance.

Not only did China show a speedy recovery—its initial bounce-back was also higher than predicted. While experts had projected a 2.4% increase between April and June, China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported a 3.2% rise.

Though the 4.9% increase reported in Q3 is good news for China, it still falls short of predictions from Chinese economists of 5.2% growth in the third quarter.

Is it an upward trajectory from here, or will China’s economy experience another dip? The experts have varying opinions, but the majority are relatively optimistic.

If China’s COVID-19 cases remain under control, it’s possible that growth is on the horizon.

Where does this data come from?

Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China
Details: This data was released on October 18th, 2020.

The Briefing

• The top challenge remote workers face is unplugging from work, followed by loneliness, and communicating with coworkers.
• Despite these challenges, 98% of remote workers wish to continue working remotely, at least some of the time.

The Top Struggles of Remote Workers

Unplugging from work can be challenging at the best of times.

But when your living room doubles as your office, it can be even harder–at least that’s the case for 22% of remote workers.

Thanks to the global pandemic, millions of workers have been sent home to work at a safe distance. While many remote workers enjoy the flexibility that comes with remote work, it doesn’t come without its drawbacks.

Here’s a ranking of the top struggles that remote workers face, according to a recent report by Buffer and AngelList:

The report also found that only 15% of employers paid the cost of home internet, and 21% covered the cost of a phone plan in a work-from-home situation. However, with this type of arrangement still being relatively new for most, these perks could evolve over time.

Despite the various challenges involved, 98% of remote workers would like to continue working remotely, at least some of the time, for the rest of their careers.

In short—while remote work poses its own set of struggles, the benefits outweigh the cons.

»For a more in-depth look at the topic of remote work, visit: How People and Companies Feel About Working Remotely.

Where does this data come from?

Source: The State of Remote Work Report, from Buffer and AngelList
Details: Survey results from 3,500 remote workers from across the globe.
Notes: This report was published in February of 2020 and the data was collected in November of 2019.