COVID-19 Changing the Workplace for the Better

Six in ten Americans think COVID-19 has changed the way we work for the better, according to WalletHub’s nationally representative Coronavirus and Working from Home Survey.

“Although the pandemic has been devastating to American lives and the economy, it did show that more jobs are capable of being performed from home than we initially thought or would admit,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub Analyst.  “A larger work-from-home infrastructure could have positive effects on public health, traffic and family life in the future.”

WalletHub’s survey examined Americans’ thoughts about working from home during the coronavirus pandemic and a potential return to an office, including how being at home has affected productivity and what people miss the most about the office.

 Other highlights of the survey:

• Parents’ work efficiency may suffer at home. Around 50 percent of parents with young children at home don’t think they are more productive working from home.
   
• Working from home seen as the future. Around a third of Americans think physical offices are a thing of the past, according to Gonzalez. “While we are very likely to see an expansion of work-from-home infrastructure in the future, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she added. “Even some office jobs cannot be done from home easily or securely. We’ll need to see a lot more technological advancement before working from home becomes an option for everyone.”