Staunton Star - Times - Published in the Interest of the Staunton Community for Over 143 Years

By: Rob Warnock

and Lilla Szini

The remote work revolution has been a transformational force. Worker surveys have been done multiple times over the course of the pandemic, as telework shifted from a temporary stop-gap measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 into an established workplace norm. In the latest survey, a gradual shift towards hybrid working arrangements has been identified (i.e., some days at home, some days on site) but less enthusiasm from younger workers about the remote economy.

Our team conducted surveys in April and December 2021 and found that remote work declined in popularity throughout 2021, but only marginally. Hybrid arrangements that include on-site work days have become more common, but broadly speaking, remote work continues to entrench itself in the national economy. Positive business outcomes, coupled with the persistent uncertainty of the pandemic, have made it challenging to entice (or force) remote-capable employees to return to the office.

Not everyone is sold on the remote work revolution

Our survey finds that telework remains common for workers of all ages. As of December 2021, millennials are the most-remote generation, but by only a few percentage points compared to the rest. Across the board, more than 40 percent of workers in all generations are working from home, from Boomers nearing the end of their careers to Gen Zers who are just starting theirs.

But not everyone is enthusiastic about remote work becoming the norm in the post-pandemic economy. It has its obvious pros and cons, most notably a healthier work/life balance coming at the expense of feeling less connected to co-workers. Our survey finds that more than any other generation, 62 percent of Boomer remote workers believe working from home is “extremely desirable” going forward; 54 percent of remote workers from Generation X agree, as do just over half of all Millennial remote workers. Generation Z is the only group in which a majority of workers feel differently; among this youngest batch of remote workers who were ages 25 or younger at the time of our survey, 36 percent said remote work is “extremely” desirable, 27 percent described it as “very” desirable, 28 percent as “somewhat” desirable, and the remaining 9 percent as “not so” or “not at all” desirable.

Gen Z’s skepticism of remote work is consistent with earlier research by our team and suggests that the benefits of remote work get more salient as one progresses past the initial stages of their career. For older generations, the remote work revolution offers a welcome respite from decades of worsening commutes, and in return, more time for non-work priorities. But Gen Z workers, many of whom already had their college experiences stunted by the pandemic, are less enthusiastic about also beginning their careers remotely. Doing so restricts the social aspects of a job and makes it more challenging to network and gain exposure to a broad swath of colleagues.