Remote Workers Are Not Losers

Most of us know the benefits of remote and hybrid-remote work models, including Mayor Jacob. And I understand his purpose and intentions around revitalization of downtown spaces. This is an important task that many city leaders are accountable for right now. But it does not have to be at the expense of the many engaged and productive remote employees out there. 

We know that businesses can save on overhead expenses when they choose to have a distributed workforce. And this means that office space now needs to be repurposed in some instances. But it doesn’t mean those distributed employees are losers. We also know businesses benefit from expanding talent pool options by having no barriers around location. 

There is plenty of research to show employees prefer to work remotely than in-person because they can integrate their work into their lives. Nothing speaks louder than leaders supporting an organizational culture that shows they trust their people to do the right thing and get work done whenever it needs to be done. In turn, they retain committed, responsible, happy employees who feel empowered to manage their time how and when they want, and they prove it by going above and beyond to ensure they deliver on their goals and the company mission.

Stop the Stigmatization

I only mention a few but there are so many more advantages of going remote. I now want to highlight some examples where flexibility is so crucial to survival for humans and to businesses being agile and able to pivot on a moment’s notice when needed. Downtown LA, Long Beach, Pasadena, and other parts of California have experienced widespread disruption in power, flooding, hurricane winds, and other weather-related side effects this year. 

Many local universities and other schools switched to online learning as a precaution. Additionally, staff working on campus were permitted to work remotely as well, allowing the universities to continue operations during one of the worst floods in decades. Noting that without the ability to flex and enact this contingency plan, students and employees could have been endangered and had to make up classes and work later.

Natural disasters and regular winter storms happen all around us, so it pays to have options in place to stay productive and operational. Local governments and other businesses recognize this need. The list goes on of municipalities and organizations allowing remote work for weather events. The point is, that permitting employees to work remotely, whether due to bad weather or personal circumstances, reinforces the legitimacy and necessity of remote work in ensuring the safety and continuity of business operations

One very important segment of the workforce is those with disabilities. During the pandemic, we saw a notable positive increase in employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a studyshowing that “the percentage of disabled people who were employed rose to 21.3% in 2022,” which was a record high. Unfortunately, because of this stigma around work workers being lazy, laying around in cat blankets, and diddling on their computers, we are now seeing the negative impacts on those with disabilities. When leaders want to demand a return to office (RTO), we must remember some people have increased barriers to employment opportunities simply because of the demand to be in person.