The Covid-19 pandemic has changed our world and lives in ways we never thought were possible before the global shutdown. One of the biggest changes was how we work and, more specifically, where we work.
I, for one, have worked from home for about a decade. At first, it was a big change that took some time to get used to, particularly the freedom of minimal oversight. But that can also be bad due to the self-control it takes to accomplish your work. Another challenge working from home is the self-imposed isolation or lack of in-person human interaction. While this isolation can help reduce distractions, it can also lower overall happiness and mental health.
At the beginning of the pandemic, nearly every friend I spoke to said they "loved" working from home - no more commute, no boss looking over their shoulder, and no more small talk with unlikeable co-workers. A few months in, more than half of the same people who said they loved working from home had started to say that they were "over it" and wanted to return to the office a few days a week.
Now, two years later, we are seeing a lot of different work arrangements. We have a group of people who have fully embraced the remote work life. Then there are the hybrid workers, in the office 2 or 3 days a week and work from home the rest. Finally, we have the office lovers ready and willing to be back full-time.
A January 2022 survey reported the preferences of people who can perform most of their job duties report. Of that group, 60% of people wanted to either work from home full-time or at least some of the time. 22% said they rarely or never wanted to work remotely. Furthermore, 64% said remote work made it easier to balance work and personal life, while 60% said they feel less connected to co-workers when they worked from remote offices. Continue reading "Stay-At-Home Stocks Still Have Life"
