Gas prices remain high across North Texas leaving some looking for ways to lessen the financial burden of filling up their gas tanks.
The pain at the pump has some people wondering if it may be time to once again return to a work from home model.
“If we look at the polling data, it’s quite clear that many people still want to work from home,” said University of Texas at Dallas professor emeritus Doug Kiel. “The latest data that I have, show that about 60% of people polled prefer to work from home now.”
One of Kiel’s specialties is the nature of work and people in the workforce.
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“This is a real opportunity for all of us to chip in and be good citizens. If managers will allow people to work from home, we can lower demand for gas, therefore reducing the price and help our fellow citizens who really need to use their car,” Kiel said.
A recent Gallup poll found that 60% of people surveyed were in favor of a home/work hybrid while 32% were in favor of completely working from home. That study was done before gas prices skyrocketed.
Kiel reminds us that because of the pandemic the systems are now already in place for employees to work from home.
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“The data consistently shows people are not willing to stay at a job if they are going to be forced to go into work and they are shifting their entire way of thinking about life and work and people just don’t like these long commutes,” Kiel said. “There is a large body of evidence that shows that commuting is not good for people. It simply does not make us happy.”
Advocates for the return to the office say there are benefits including team building, collaboration, creativity, and mental breaks from home life.
