California Governor Gavin Newsom has mandated that the state's 240,000 public workers must return to work in-person at least two days a week [5259af39]. Many employees have been working from home full-time since the lifting of the stay-at-home order in June 2021. However, some offices in Oakland are still locked, with the executive assistant to the city council attributing it to long-term anxiety caused by COVID-19 [5259af39]. Oakland has about 1,200 employees working from home twice a week, while San Jose has over 15% of its workforce with flexible workplace agreements [5259af39].
The return to in-person duties has been met with mixed reactions. Union employees have expressed concerns about the impact on the environment, productivity, and work-life balance. They worry that the return to the office will increase traffic congestion and carbon emissions, as well as reduce the flexibility and autonomy they have enjoyed while working from home [5259af39].
In Seattle, the number of residents working remotely has decreased significantly, from 165,000 in 2022 to 133,000 in 2023, marking a 20% decline. This shift has led to increased traffic congestion, particularly on I-5 northbound, as more workers return to the office [a27116a6]. Amazon's recent policy change requiring employees to work five days in the office has been praised by Downtown Seattle Association President Jon Scholes, who believes it will benefit local businesses [a27116a6]. However, Gee Scott highlighted the negative impact on sales tax revenue due to the previous remote work trend [a27116a6].
Sacramento's Mayor Darrell Steinberg supports the return of state workers to boost downtown businesses, which have been struggling due to reduced foot traffic. He believes that having more workers in the office will help revitalize the local economy and support local businesses [5259af39].
This new development adds to the ongoing discussion about the impact of remote work and the return to the office. While some employees have enjoyed the flexibility and convenience of working from home, others are eager to return to the office for various reasons. The decision to return to in-person work has implications for productivity, work-life balance, and the environment [5259af39].
According to The Economist, the COVID-19 pandemic has permanently altered the dynamics of where and when people work. In 2023, about 35% of employed people in the US did some or all of their work from home, which is equal to the 2022 rate and higher than the pre-pandemic level of 24% in 2019 [61146c64]. Working from home has varying effects on productivity, job satisfaction, efficiency, and productivity. It is more common among women, and those with advanced degrees are most likely to work from home. The work-at-home option is relevant for certain types of jobs, such as management, financial, professional, and office administration. The amount of time spent on housework, childcare, training, and leisure has shifted over the past few decades, with women still spending more hours on household and children-related tasks. Working from home can help address worker shortages, remove geographical constraints, and incentivize individuals to remain in the labor force. However, it has also had negative effects on commercial real estate, office morale, and camaraderie [61146c64].
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, 35% of employed people did some or all of their work at home, which is more than ten percentage points higher than 2019. Economist José María Barrero predicts that work from home rates will continue to increase in the long term due to advancements in technology. However, there may also be a move towards more hybrid work models, combining remote work with in-person collaboration. The work from home rate has leveled off in the past couple of years, but barring any revolutionary changes, it is expected to remain around 35% for quite a while [6cb9e8b2].
Mayor Parker of Center City is also calling all city workers back to the office starting mid-July. She is also asking the city's largest employers to bring their workers back in person [02fb0c30]. The president of AFSCME DC47, Local 2186, the union representing some of the office workers, joins the debate. Wharton School professor of management and director of the Center for Human Resources, Peter Cappelli, and Penn State Abington professor of economics and labor-human resources also join the discussion [02fb0c30].
NPR Weekend Edition Sunday host Ayesha Rascoe discusses her new book, HBCU Made, which celebrates historically Black colleges and universities. Rascoe, a Howard University graduate, shares how her HBCU shaped her career as a political journalist [02fb0c30].
Returning to the office is a battle between workers and managers. Most high-paying jobs are now in-office jobs, according to job site Ladders. Managers in the office want their workers there. This is a swift change from 2021 when Ladders declared 'remote work is here to stay' [9afe0c00].