Many employees who experienced remote work during the pandemic are now resistant to returning to the office and are even willing to take a pay cut to continue working from home. According to Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom, the average prospective employee is willing to sacrifice about 8 percent of their annual salary, approximately $4,600 per year, for a partly or fully remote job. This preference for remote work is driven by the desire to avoid commuting and regain valuable time, but the cost savings go beyond just eliminating the commute. Remote workers can prepare their own meals, make their own coffee, and take care of their pets, among other benefits.
FlexJobs, a remote-work website, found that remote workers spend at least $6,000 less per year compared to their office-bound counterparts. Researchers estimate that full-time office workers spend over $12,000 per year on commuting, including expenses like lunch, commuting costs, breakfast, coffee, and parking. Additionally, pet owners spend an average of $20 a day on pet care.
While there are downsides to working from home, such as never feeling entirely "off the clock" and potential weight gain due to a more sedentary lifestyle, the advantages appear to outweigh the disadvantages, particularly when both employees and employers save money.
Source: MSN
Photo: Getty Images