A recent survey found that commuting via public transportation could fall by 20% in the UK’s cities. The public is no longer confident in travelling to work in tight contained spaces. This particular trend could have a negative impact on the environment as many may turn to driving to work rather than using public transport. However, it’s also likely to cause an increase in people walking, running or cycling to work which is both positive for the environment and would increase daily exercise for employees creating a healthier lifestyle.

Another lasting impact that could be positive for the environment is reduced work travel. During the 7 weeks of lockdown, we have already seen reduced pollution, re-emerging wildlife and plunging oil prices. Whilst the “death of the office” or at least reduced office would lead to less work travel, there is also the question around travelling for face to face meetings – whether that’s sales or just internal meetings. For many freelancers, this would not be a huge change as remote working in the freelance industry has been the norm for over 10 years. Whether it’s working with clients in countries around the world through PeoplePerHour, or with local businesses, freelancers are often already enabled for remote working. However, the biggest change for freelancers could be the attitude of their clients towards remote working. This sentiment was reflected in a recent response we received on Twitter from Phil Shaw:

“FINALLY businesses have accepted that me working from my home office doesn’t mean I’m unemployed. It’s a shame it took a pandemic to shift paradigms though!”

Continue reading Declan’s interesting article here: pph.blog