When You Start to Miss Tony from Accounting

Historical Context

The evolution of workspaces has been dramatic, shifting from home-based work in the 18th century to the rise of office and factory work during the Industrial Revolution. Nicholas Bloom notes that despite technological advancements, the nine-to-five office culture persisted until recently 1. This shift was largely due to social norms and the infrastructure built around commuting, which created an inertia difficult to overcome 2.

For probably 15 years now, we could have effectively worked from home. But it was the whole social norms that up until now have held us back.

--- Nicholas Bloom

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged these norms, prompting a reevaluation of workspaces and the potential for more flexible arrangements.

   

Changing Norms

The stigma surrounding remote work has long been a barrier to its adoption. Nicholas Bloom highlights how negative perceptions were evident in online searches, with images often depicting remote workers as unproductive 3. This perception was reinforced by corporate policies, such as Yahoo's temporary ban on telecommuting due to concerns over productivity 3.

Working from home can be great, but you need a performance evaluation system.

--- Nicholas Bloom

However, Bloom's research, including a study with a Chinese travel agency, suggests that with proper systems in place, remote work can be as productive as office work 4.