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Winners and Losers in the Work from Home Revolution
Article

Winners and Losers in the Work from Home Revolution

Derek Thompson
The Atlantic, 2021
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8

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Overview
  • Concrete Examples

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The shift to work-from-home and hybrid arrangements during the Covid pandemic offered mixed blessings. For those already doing well, the arrangement is a boon. For the less well-paid, especially those with children, working from home can be a nightmare. Atlantic journalist and author Derek Thompson explores the winners and the losers of the new normal – remote work.

Summary

Employees’ experience of remote work varies by circumstance — higher-paid workers win; lower-paid workers lose.

Two teams of economists found conflicting perspectives on the shift to remote work. One team studied an Asian tech company whose workers – especially those with children– suffered constant interruptions working from home. Mentorship plunged, as did productivity, though work hours increased. Team two studied 30,000 Americans who reported great satisfaction and greater productivity working from home.

High-salary earners are winners in the remote work world. Well-paid men in their 30s or 40s express the most pleasure with the change to remote work. A well-paid software engineer can work from his suburban home instead of commuting to his big city office...

About the Author

Author of Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction, Derek Thompson is a staff writer for The Atlantic.

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