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5 ways remote work is changing the economy for the better
Remote work has increased productivity, saved workers time and money, enabled employees to relocate, and diversified the talent pool, Upwork finds.
By Hillary Hoffower
Now that vaccines and a massive stimulus package are here, the US economy is uniquely positioned for a great new era in the 2020s.
A major factor underlying the great economic potential of reopening lies with how the pandemic ushered in an era of remote work, which is likely here to stay to some extent in a post-pandemic world.
More than two-thirds of professionals were working remotely during the peak of the pandemic, according to a new report by work marketplace Upwork, and over the next five years, 20% to 25% of professionals will likely be working remotely.
Remote working has caused employees to rethink and better accommodate their priorities in life and employers to rethink operations regarding how they can best work with professionals and create teams, the report stated. But it also hasn’t been without some downsides, such as blurring the lines between work-life balance and causing increased stress.
Overall, though, Upwork found the shift to remote work in the past year has ultimately benefited the economy in five key ways.
