Remote Workers Are Spending Their Saved Commute Time Doing More Work

There is one shared experience that nearly all workers can relate to: the commute.   

For years, the commute was an inevitable part of a worker’s morning, often meaning a tense start to the day thanks to high levels of congestion that add stress to the drive.   

However, during the onset of the pandemic, companies realized that eliminating commutes could serve as a positive for both the business and employees. 

It makes sense, too — the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) shows that workers can save around 72 minutes a day by eliminating their commute. In fact, throughout 2021 and 2022, remote working saved professionals around two hours per week, and new hybrid arrangements could save up to one hour per week. 

While this means professionals could spend over an hour tending to their personal needs, rather than waiting in brain-numbing traffic, the study shows that people are actually spending this time working. 

This fact completely negates any arguments that executives have made about productivity relying heavily on in-office attendance. 

Even so, while 34% of remote workers were found to use this time for leisure, such as reading or exercise, to suggest this as a negative is misguided. Having time for oneself before the work day has been linked to higher levels of productivity, job satisfaction and more opportunities to tend to caregiving responsibilities.  

Less commutes also means less carbon emissions — a plus for companies looking to reduce their energy consumption and contribute to a healthier climate. 

“Work from home and the associated drop in commuting also affect individuals and society through many other channels,” the NBER working paper stated. “Work from home expands personal freedom, improves life quality, brings new employment opportunities, and builds social capital in residential communities.”