The Delta variant has pushed back major companies plans to re-open their offices until 2022. I think when the offices are finally re-open I think companies might prefer using smaller work staffs to save money. Regardless, I think workers have gotten really comfortable working from home. I think people are much happier working at their own pace that its going to be difficult transitioning back to the office.
“When the coronavirus outbreak first erupted and workers were told to pack up their desks and prepare to do their jobs from home, many companies assumed they’d uphold that arrangement for a handful of weeks. Back then, no one could’ve predicted that 18 months later, a large chunk of the U.S. workforce would still be working remotely.” – Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool (Real Full Article here)
Maurie’s article really shows how the effects of the the pandemic has hurt office real estate investors (REIT) with empty office buildings and how major companies like Facebook and Apple are being careful re-opening their offices.
I think the real question is when the pandemic is over. Do office workers want to continue to work from home and will many of them seek jobs where they can work mobile.