Why WFH is a Happier and More Productive Way to Work – Despite Disapproval from Bosses

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Elon Musk believes working from home goes against moral values. Google now evaluates office attendance as part of its employees’ performance reviews. Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, recently informed staff that remote work might not be an option at Amazon unless they come in for at least three days a week.

The growing opposition to remote work in the corporate world is frequently supported by retired individuals who spent their careers in office settings. However, remote work should not be viewed solely as a corporate issue; it presents a unique opportunity to shape a better society.

Employers who oppose remote work often argue from an economic efficiency standpoint. However, it’s unclear why societies should be optimized solely for GDP. While Americans may have higher average incomes than most Europeans, they also emit significantly more CO₂ per capita, lack guaranteed paid vacations, and have a shorter life expectancy compared to Spaniards.

Furthermore, the argument for the efficiency of office work is questionable. Although office workers may be more productive than those who work remotely full-time, there is a trade-off: remote workers are more cost-effective to employ and easier to retain. In fact, the affordability of fully remote workforces is fueling the growth of startups, according to Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University. He also notes that hybrid workers, who split their time between the office and remote work, appear to be equally productive as office workers.

While certain jobs may require on-site work, we must identify them specifically. Overall, as stated in a report by Goldman Sachs, “economic studies disagree on the productivity effects of remote work.” In other words, the conclusion is uncertain.¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Despite the limited basis for scrapping remote work, it offers a more favorable way to organize work. Some individuals live to work, while most work to live. However, nobody lives to commute. Policymakers concerned about decreased public transport usage during rush hour should consider that few passengers actually wanted to commute during those times.

Additionally, remote work benefits individuals for whom a daily commute is nearly impossible. This includes many disabled individuals, approximately one in six people worldwide, who have been advocating for remote work for decades. Last year, the US employment rate for disabled individuals reached a record 21%.

Remote work also supports the caregivers who play a crucial role in caring for the elderly and disabled in our aging societies. Over one in five American adults, primarily female, fall into this category. Many of these caregivers can only take jobs that allow them to work from home. Unfortunately, office bosses often overlook this issue, possibly due to their limited experience as caregivers or individuals with disabilities.

Nevertheless, remote work will continue to become more efficient over time. It emerged unexpectedly during lockdowns, while many workers had to manage children at home. As the Dutch writer Joris Luyendijk said, when the Wright brothers took their first flight in 1903, they couldn’t have envisioned an entire aviation industry. Solutions develop over time.

Only three years into the mass remote work experiment, inefficiencies persist. For example, remote workers still spend countless hours managing their managers. According to Bloom, hybrid workers in the US with degrees spend half their day in meetings, twice as long as office workers, likely to appease bosses who fear they are slacking. It is no wonder that remote workers struggle to disconnect and experience burnout. However, office workers face similar challenges.

As remote work continues to improve, it will provide employees with greater autonomy. We have endured over a century of Taylorism, which emphasizes the “scientific management” of workers by employers. The latest manifestation is “digital Taylorism,” technology that monitors workers in real-time.

Remote work has the potential to empower individuals to take control of their own schedules. Gig workers understand this feeling well, as their working lives offer the advantage of not having bosses constantly monitoring them. Similarly, many schools are allowing children more autonomy in their learning, instead of training them for a life bound to a desk.

While the transition to remote work may come with challenges, such as rendering many office buildings obsolete, the purpose of life is not to sustain the commercial-property market. With effective management, remote work can allow us to repurpose offices as homes and distribute high-skilled workers to underserved regions.

Even when the job market becomes less favorable towards remote work, employees will continue to highly value its benefits. This is particularly true for the generation that grew up with remote work as the norm after 2020. If governments tackle employer resistance and implement laws that encourage remote work, workers will show their appreciation at the ballot box.

Follow Simon @KuperSimon and email him at [email protected]

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