Employees are happier, and can control their work days better, while actually getting more work done.
Working from home (WFH) hasnt turned out to be the productivity nightmare employers may have imagined.
Its also cheaper for employers, and because theres no commute, its better for the environment.
10'000 Hours / Getty Images
Big tech companies like Google and Apple havealready extended WFH planswell into 2021.
But will it continue after the pandemic?
“I see these numbers more than doubling in a post-pandemic world.
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Shirking From Home
Remote work used to be seen as a goof off.
In fact, for freelancers, the problem is usually knowing when to stop working.
Once the COVID-19 pandemic passes, rates of people working from home will explode.
“I do tech support for an internet provider,” tech worker Carsten Klapp toldLifewirevia direct message.
“The company provided a computer and VoIP for me.
We keep in touch with team members and managers through Skype.
But with proper planning, and support from employers, the home office could become more common.
Happy Bosses
The advantages for home workers are clear, but what about the employers?
They may lose an element of direct control, but that doesnt appear to be needed anyway.
The most obvious advantage for employers is that it’s cheaper not to run a big office.
“About another 33% are not workinga testament to the savage impact of the lockdown recession.
And the remaining 26%mostly essential service workersare working on their business premises.”
The advantages increase if the trend continues.
And in the long term, theyll no longer need big, expensive downtown office space.
Is There Any Bad News?
One disadvantage of working from home is that you lose creative serendipity.
You might chat to someone in line for coffee and unexpectedly solve a problem.
Loneliness is another problem, one which might be mitigated after the pandemic.
You could take a break with friends in the neighborhood, for example.
Still, whatever the downside, the advantages are enough to make remote working permanent.
Cities will be changed by this shift, too.
Without a large daily workforce, downtown cafes and restaurants will suffer, but traffic may improve.
