A key opportunity of the COVID-19 pandemic has been to demonstrate the lack of need for offices and shared workspaces for many jobs. By allowing all willing workers to work from home (where possible), we can solve a number of issues that modern society faces.
Firstly, this will solve many of the congestion problems modern cities are plagued by, without taking drastic measures such as banning cars from city centres. Allowing people to work from home, whilst perhaps requiring a few days a month in person, would remove the need of many people to even own a car, which would have the added benefit of cutting down on pollution.
Secondly, it would provide for greater opportunities for disadvantaged people, such as the differently abled. Being able to work from the comfort of their own home would remove the stress and difficulty of daily travel, be it from poor accessibility of buildings and trains, to the potential sensory overload of a crowded train or bus. Working from home also helps mitigate potential discrimination issues on the basis of race, gender or disability, with the removal of office politics being a net positive.
Thirdly, encouraging people to work at home allows them to spend more time with loved ones, even just the hours it can take to commute being recouped would be a positive change.
Fourthly, by allowing businesses dispense with the need enormous commercial spaces for offices, businesses would have more financial flexibility, and it would allow for rezoning to occur, alleviating the housing crisis.
Working from home has been proven to have no negative impact on productivity, and can even have a positive effect. In one study, productivity was 22% higher than their office based counterparts.
To conclude, WFH being widespread would have a net positive impact on society.
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