CEOs Can't Fix Our Biggest Problem With RTO: Commuting

Whether pressured to return or wooed with free breakfast, many workers are filing back into downtown offices. But few are going in five days a week, and many don’t plan to for the foreseeable future. That’s because employers can do little about the primary pain point that’s keeping people at home: commuting. Office avoidance is most dramatic in big metro areas where commutes are especially painful. According to US Census Bureau data, 1 in 10 workers has a one-way commute that lasts over an hour, but in New York, almost 23% do. These cities also have low office occupancy rates, indicating that commuting is a major factor in people's decision to work from home. ​

Jennifer Moss, the author of "The Burnout Epidemic," who argues that people have realized they can be productive without spending hours commuting and that long journeys to the office now feel even more painful. The article also highlights the challenges of improving commuting, such as reducing traffic congestion and making public transportation more reliable and frequent. It mentions the possibility of implementing fees to drive into city centers, like London has done, and using the funds to improve transit options. ​

However, the article acknowledges that these changes would require significant effort and may take decades to see significant improvements.​ Overall, the author suggests that the work-from-home trend is unlikely to be reversed, and improving commuting conditions may require more drastic changes to city structures and work arrangements. ​