Everything You Gain Back When You Don’t Have A Commute To Work
Those who do not have to commute to work gain back time that they are spending working out, cooking better meals, getting more sleep, or spending more quality time with their kids and family.
Life changed rapidly when the pandemic hit. One of the adjustments many had to make was shifting to a remote or hybrid work environment. Of course, the news of this shift was not all bad, as it also often meant no commute!
Covid-19 brought masks, social distancing, and significant concerns over viral transmissions. Additionally, many state and local governments issued new regulations around what businesses were deemed “essential” and could remain open. These factors forced companies to make some tough decisions about their work environments.
Those deemed “nonessential” did not have much choice. But others chose to play it safe and close down (or partially close down) even if they did not need to. And the result was a dramatic restructuring of the workplace.
Many companies sent their employees home to work remotely. And some opted for a hybrid option, which helped ensure compliance with social distancing guidelines. In both cases, workers welcomed the news that it would mean they did not have to commute, or at least their commute got lessened.
Before the pandemic, Americans spent an inordinate amount of time on the road commuting to work. According to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American has an hour commute every day. And nearly a tenth of workers had a commute time that exceeded two hours daily.
So, when remote and hybrid work options arose, U.S. workers found themselves with the gift of extra time. And they used that time to enrich their lives in many ways. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York recently commissioned a study to discover what that extra time meant to folks.
Vice had a chance to look over the findings and discovered some interesting tidbits. Most people in the study slept at least one hour longer each day. And that finding was consistent across age groups.
Other uses of that commute free time varied by age group. The younger crowd spent extra time working out or at the bars. And the older generation relished more time to prepare better meals and hang out with their kids.
Based on the study’s findings, most Americans that shifted to the remote part, at least part-time, benefited greatly from the adjustment. So that begs the question, what now? Many companies have transitioned back into full-time in-person working conditions.
But others have moved more slowly when it comes to making another change. They are finding that remote workers were very productive overall. This discovery directly contradicts the common pre-pandemic belief that remote work would hurt productivity.
Some companies have discovered that there was a monetary benefit to remote work as well. Without bodies in the building, the overhead savings certainly added up. Plus, many at the top level may have liked not having to commute.
So, while some companies gave their employees the bad news that their commute was back, others are taking a different route. Many major corporations have decided to retain remote working conditions. Their decision echoes the study findings that “lead confidence to the various reports on employees’ preferences for flexible work arrangements.”
