According to the United Nations, the world’s population has reached 8 billion of people on the 15th of November. A?few days before this Elon Musk had declared that Twitter’s employees will no longer have the option to work from home. And though these two facts can hardly be connected, both of them are likely to have influence on the further development of employment models and work experiences. And while many businesses will gladly follow Mr Musk’s example and call their employees back to the office, the constantly growing number of people on the planet will inevitably lead to the opposite trend, bringing remote work to a whole new level.?
Many problems that we may encounter as the population continues to grow, can be alleviated by accepting the remote work model:?
- More people, more pollution. Sad but true, every one of us is adding to a problem by buying, consuming, throwing away and buying new stuff again. We burn a huge quantity of natural resources to get the energy we need to stay warm (or cold), to get clean water and to move around. Remote work will help us to cut down on the unnecessary commutes, saving resources and considerably?reducing pollution. By allowing the employees to work from home, a company cares for the environment; and being an environmentally friendly company is not only ethical and right, it also improves the company’s image among its clients.?
- More people, larger cities. As the population grows, so do the places we live in. There are already more than 30 cities with a population of over 10 million people. A lot of cities are very densely populated, and continue to grow, which makes it harder for people to commute, as they have to cover larger distances and spend more time stuck in traffic. In fact, even now people in big cities, such as New York, Tokyo or Paris, spend nearly two hours a day commuting to work and back. In addition to that, the housing crisis in many countries makes it difficult for people to relocate quickly, forcing them to look for?work close to their homes, unless of course they are able to work remotely.
- More people, more competition. With growth of population, it’s getting harder to compete, which is true both for businesses and for individuals. Education is more affordable now, and if a person has a desire to study, it is easier than ever before to find a way to do this. But as more and more people get education and are striving to land a decent job, it is getting?harder, as being educated and experienced is not enough any longer, you also have to be talented and creative. The reason is that the companies face harsh competition, too. They won’t survive if they don’t hire the best talents, who will be able make their company stand out amongst others. Remote work might be a good answer here too, because it enables companies to employ people from anywhere in the world, finding the talent they need even if they live miles away. Though it sounds a bit paradoxical, remote work helps to bring together businesses and the talent they search for.?
- More people, more stress. Mental health problems are already becoming the plague of modern times. Spending time in crowded places, with people we don’t know very well adds up to anxiety and uncertainty. Poor work-life balance is often leading straight into depression, and remote work is one of the possible remedies to that. Employees working remotely have more time to connect to their family and friends, to get more active, to follow their hobbies, and to spend more time in the nature, which makes them more resistant to the stresses of everyday life.?
- More people, more epidemics. This may sound bitter, but it is the way of nature. Viruses thrive in places packed with people, where they can easily be transmitted and carried on to new places and new people. We all were shocked by the Coronavirus pandemics, but unfortunately, with the population growing, we might see more of the like, and we have to be prepared that many employees will have to go back to working from home again and again. In fact, work from home might become essential for our survival.?
We can conclude, that remote work can be beneficial in many ways, as it might help us build a better future, caring for each member of the expanding humankind and nurturing our planet. And it seems that the earlier businesses start to implement it, the more prepared they will be to meet the challenges of the growing world in just a few years. So, who knows, maybe Mr Musk would want to rethink his decision in the future.?
