Why is working from home more environmentally friendly?

In a study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists explain that the massive, sudden shift to remote work helped reduce emissions. Researchers from Microsoft and Cornell University analyzed datasets containing the commuting and remote working habits of Microsoft employees in the United States. They took into account a variety of factors, including communications technology, commuting, and energy consumption in offices and residences.

Remote workers can have a 54% lower carbon footprint than on-site workers. Hybrid workers who spend two to four workdays at home can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 11-29%
– researchers write in their article.

Energy used by office space was the largest source of emissions from field workers. The same applies to mixed employment. The total volume of greenhouse gas emissions also decreased due to the absence of daily commutes.

Although many people will no longer return to the old system, after the pandemic status was revoked, some companies began to require employees to come to the office again. Therefore, the study’s authors suggested implementing a system in which workplaces in offices are shared and employees rotate between in-office and remote work to help reduce the size of offices and their impact on the environment. Companies whose employees mostly work remotely are also recommended to reduce office space.

But not everything is that good

This doesn’t mean that hybrid and fully remote working always reduces overall greenhouse gas emissions 100 percent.

Researchers found that some remote workers who moved to a remote workplace even experienced an increase in emissions. “Remote working is not carbon neutral and the benefits of hybrid working are not entirely linear.”While people may indeed be using less transportation to commute to work, there are other factors at play, says study author Fenzi Yu, professor of energy systems engineering at Cornell University.

When employees were given more away days, they also increased non-work activities, such as visiting family and friends and taking vacations. Some hybrid workers moved away from the office during the pandemic, and now the need to come to the office occasionally forces them to use transportation for longer periods of time.

More advantages

Remote working has also had other positive consequences for employees if organized properly. For example, people with various disabilities are able to work full time without having to figure out how to get to a physical office or work in an environment that cannot meet their basic needs. According to data announced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a record number of disabled people were employed in 2022.

The source states that candidates receive more applications for jobs that offer a stay-at-home option than for jobs that require in-person presence. Today, the average employee believes that remote and hybrid working is better than being in the office every day.