After two years of remote work, many workers reluctant to return to the office are compromising with less frequent, longer ‘super commutes.’
“Super-commuters aren’t a new phenomenon. In sprawling countries like the US, for example, some workers, mainly senior executives, have been commuting long distances for years.” Now, reports Bryan Lufkin, the phenomenon is becoming more common with all types of workers who moved away from their office locations during the pandemic.
“The group of super-commuters has expanded as companies have allowed middle-class knowledge workers to come into the office two days a week, or one week a month,” says Bill Fulton, director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University. Lufkin asks, “Could this new form of commuting be the future, as workers embrace hybrid, and build lives further away from urban hubs?”
The article describes several workers in the U.S. and England who are adjusting to their new super-commuting lives. While there are logistical challenges and some tension with employers who have a hard time letting go of constant supervision, most workers seem keen on continuing to work mostly remotely.
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