The Future for Workers: Remote Work is the New Norm

One of the more positive things to come out of the global pandemic has been working at home. Remote work is something that employees beg for and those in power were wary about. We’ve covered Zillow’s head rethinking the viability of working from home, as he’s seen the positives outweigh the negatives since lockdown orders have been in place. 

Currently, 56% of the working class in the US is working from home. And it’s become a common mantra- “We want the option to work from home after the pandemic.” In fact, 75% of those working from home hope for the opportunity to work from home in the future. Sixty-six percent of those wanting the continued option to work remotely, say that they would be more likely to move if the option to work from home was on the table. 

These numbers differ heavily before the coronavirus pandemic began its spread. Prior to COVID-19, 7% of civilian workers in the States had the option to work from, according to Pew Research Center. Forty percent worked in jobs that could be performed remotely with no decline in productivity and no lack of efficiency. 

With the current amount of those working from home, these employees are seeing a need for specified space within their houses dedicated to their jobs. In fact, 30% said they would move into a larger home to meet their needs while 29% would move into a home with more rooms. 

Larger homes in the US are usually away from major cities. A survey done by Zillow and The Harris Poll found that the longest homeowners and renters are willing to commute is an average of 30 minutes. 

The survey also found that those with the option to work from home would be more inclined to a longer commute. When given that option, 50% of those who are able to do their job from home say they would be open to a commute that was up to 45 minutes or longer. 

It was accepted until recently that workers needed to live near cities for shorter commutes and better access to amenities like restaurants, gyms, and shopping centers. This survey has shown that throw in one new option and the need to live in an inner-city is a moot point.

The survey reveals some important points for property portals to hone in on. The pandemic is changing many things about the modern society. One of those things is consumer behavior, and more specifically, homebuying behavior. Should property portals put emphasis on rural areas now- something that has been considered the cheap route at the cost of socialization and high society? Is the pandemic forcing the masses to spread out for a multitude of reason? Food for thought.