“Working from home represents a growing business and lifestyle trend in Sonoma County”

Working from home represents a growing business and lifestyle trend in Sonoma County (pressdemocrat.com)

Two years ago when this article was published in the Press Democrat working from home was becoming a growing trend in our workplace. Last year the coronavirus pandemic upended how and where we work now and into the future. The lockdown forced many of us to work from home and revealed that doing so was not only a trend but necessary in order for our economy to continue to operate.

A year ago most of us didn’t know what a Zoom meeting was and now we have learned how to mute and unmute and how to pause our video so that you can eat a snack or take a restroom break. Many of us have carved out home office spaces where we can work and broadcast during Zoom sessions. We have learned about lighting and speakers and what Zoom background demonstrates the best esthetic.

As we continue to get vaccinated to defeat this pandemic and reopen our economy to pre-pandemic levels the question is how many of us will return to our offices or continue to work from home. The lights in our downtown office spaces are beginning to turn back on but will they ever go back to the bustling downtown business office workplaces before the pandemic.

Much of our economy revolves around where we work including things like transit, restaurants, shopping, health clubs and many other businesses that rely on a commuting workforce to support these economic activities. Some have suggested a hybrid model where we split the time we work between home and the traditional office. While both have their advantages and disadvantages it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

If the pandemic has shown us anything its that we can be flexible and adapt when circumstances quickly change. When our workplaces and home spaces became one most were able to adjust and continue to work and be productive. Many of us miss our workplaces and the energy we get from interacting with our colleagues that goes beyond the Zoom sessions we sit in daily. And many of us have grown accustomed to walking from our kitchen to our office nook while having our cat or dog sitting nearby.

Whatever happens will no doubt have profound and long-lasting impacts on how and where we work into the future and affect our urban office spaces and downtown business corridors. Technology will continue to drive this trend and Presidents Biden’s infrastructure plan has highlighted broadband expansion to all Americans as a priority and necessity.

Such efforts must provide inclusion for all underserved communities so that we may all take advantage of this new work and educational paradigm.