Northwest Michigan Remote Worker Study

The Northwest Michigan Remote Worker Study will investigate remote work trends within our 10-county region. The project will gain insights through developing a survey and Economic Development Organization focus groups, acquiring supplementary data, and analyzing the collected data to create a regional report presented through graphs and infographics. Findings from the report will be disseminated to the public in Fall 2025.

Project partners include 20Fathoms, Alliance for Economic Success, Manistee Chamber of Commerce, Northen Lakes Economic Alliance, and Traverse Connect. This study is funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Northwest Michigan Remote Work Survey

Responses to the survey will help us understand the impact of remote work in our region and assist with informing future economic development strategies with insights to demographics, frequency, and industry distribution. Participation is voluntary, and responses will be kept anonymous and confidential. Complete a survey response and include your email to be entered to win one of four $50 gift cards. Your honesty is greatly appreciated!

This survey should take approximately 8 minutes to complete. If there are any questions, you would like a paper copy of the survey, or need any additional assistance, please contact Mathew Cooke, Community Planner at Networks Northwest by email at mathew.cooke@networksnorthwest.org or phone at (231) 929-5056.

The survey will be open from Monday, May 05, 2025 to Monday, July 7, 2025 and can be accessed following this link.

Northwest Michigan Remote Work Focus Group

Remote Worker Focus Groups are being planned for June 2025 in alliance with Traverse Connect, NLEA, AES, and Manistee Chamber of Commerce. These focus groups will be hosted in Cadillac, Manistee, Petoskey, and Traverse City. If you are interested in participating, please follow this link to fill out the interest form (by the end of May 2025) and more information will follow via email.

Documents

Documents pertaining to the Remote Work Study will be posted here as they are developed.

The professionals at Networks Northwest help our City Council, Planning Commission, and staff make thoughtful decisions to ensure our community is sustainable and resilient for many years to come.
- Mark Heydlauff, Charlevoix City Manager