- Experts have spent the last few years examining how remote work could impact US society.
- Their research spans areas like the birth rate, housing, mental health, and climate change.
$4 anytime soon. The real question is whether it's part of the solution to some of America's biggest problems.
Ever since the $4, experts began studying whether remote work has a positive, negative, or negligible impact on US society. Their research has spanned not just the workplace, but into areas like housing affordability, mental health, climate emissions, and even the country's birth rate.
While some companies are $4, office occupancy has $4, suggesting the trend will persist — and researchers will get the chance to monitor remote work's effects over the decades to come.
The share of work being conducted from home rose from 5% in 2019 to over 60% in 2020, Stanford economist and leading remote work expert $4 told Insider. It's since fallen to roughly 27%, but Bloom expects it to stabilize around 25%.
Insider spoke with Bloom, whose $4 spans nearly 20 years, about whether remote work could have a role to play in solving the US's falling birth rate, housing crisis, climate emergency, and worsening youth mental health.
The US is running low on people
In 2020, the US fertility rate fell to $4, the lowest rate on record and roughly $4. In the decades ahead, this could not only $4, but make it difficult for the federal government to generate sufficient tax revenue to $4.
While this may be more of a medium to long-term problem, the US is arguably already short on people. The US had over $4 as of February, well above historical norms, and $4 in recent years.
Remote work might be part of the solution. It could make it easier for companies to recruit workers in other states — $4 — to fill openings when they can't find workers nearby. Plus, the flexibility to work from home could bring more people back into the workforce, like parents who $4 and $4.
In 2021, remote work may already have been among the reasons the $4 to 56.6 births per 1,000 women, according to a $4. Analyzing survey data of 3,000 US women, the researchers found that women who worked fully or partially remotely were both more likely to have children than full-time office workers.
If Americans are able to $4 and dedicate more time to their families, it's possible this could make raising children seem a bit less daunting for some couples.
Bloom's research found that on average, $4 working from home compared to those who commuted to work. He says he's currently collecting data on the fertility subject, but believes the EIG study is on to something.
"Our pretty strong view is work-from-home, by easing childcare, will increase fertility rates," he said. "As economists, we know when childcare is hard and expensive people tend to have fewer kids, with dozens of studies showing this."
Cutting back on long commutes could also make it $4, where there's a larger supply of homes big enough to accommodate families.
America has a housing crisis
The $4, and it's among the key reasons $4 for so many people. But remote workers often have more flexibility to choose where they live, which means they can $4.
"People are able to consider affordability more, while putting less weight on, 'I need to be near the office,'" Adam Ozimek, the chief economist at the Economic Innovation Group, $4.
While the influx of city dwellers moving to "$4" has $4 in those areas, they've helped ease prices in the cities workers left. And given many areas outside cities have stronger records of building — and building less expensively — they may be able to support the newcomers and $4.
"These are cheaper areas to build," Bloom said. "So longer-run opening up construction on land further out around cities will lower the cost of housing. So this is clearly a big win."
Additionally, some of the $4 could eventually be $4 — which could help increase housing supply and push down prices. For a variety of reasons, however, this $4.
One way remote work might make people's housing costs a bit more expensive: Some people may decide they $4, or more space in general given they're spending so much time at home.
Young Americans' mental health is plummeting
Teenagers, in particular teenage girls, are in the midst of their $4, according to CDC data. In the years to come, these teenagers will become the next generation of workers.
Studies have come to mixed conclusions about remote work's impact on mental health. Some have suggested that the flexibility of working from home can help workers avoid annoying commutes, stressful office environments, and $4. Others, however, have found that it can make it harder to $4 and lead to isolation and loneliness, $4. Some researchers have even argued a $4.
Bloom thinks a hybrid model is the best approach.
"The evidence I have seen shows that 'hybrid' is good for mental health, as you avoid one or two days a week of commuting which is stressful and unpleasant," he said. "Fully remote — or heavily remote — can generate loneliness."
There's a looming climate crisis
The world is trying to avoid the worst consequences of global warming by $4.
Whether remote work will help the US move towards its climate goals remains to be seen. Less commuting means $4, but it also means more people using heat and air conditioning when they're working at home. And when hybrid workers move further from their place of work, their occasional commutes become longer — potentially offsetting any emissions improvements.
Bloom says remote work "probably" contributes to lower emissions, but that the $4.