The coronavirus pandemic has spawned many new trends that stray far from pre-coronavirus norms. Of the many new trends is the implementation of remote work, which has seen many white-collar Americans working from home to comply with social distance orders. As a resurgence of cases threatens reopening and experts predict complete recovery to be years in the future, remote work is poised to become a new norm, which leaves the obvious question: is remote work beneficial over traditional office work?

Remote work, also known as telecommuting, started gaining prominence in the 1990s with the rise of the internet. The trend continued to gain traction into the 2000s, especially within the U.S. federal government, which began implementing telecommuting to cut back on costs and to aid in continuity of operations procedures. In 2012, over 144,000 federal employees had signed telecommuting agreements with the government. Telecommuting has also been popular with many freelance workers, such as graphic designers and writers.

The push for telecommuting during the pandemic was an abrupt departure from corporate norms, pushing many office workers into their homes as offices shut down nationwide amid the alarmingly rapid spread of the coronavirus. While the pandemic is far from over, given the surge in new infections and many medical experts warning that the coronavirus may not be totally contained and a return to normal may be years off, many companies have begun considering a return to office work. However, many employees are unwilling to return to offices. As a result, companies like Twitter (TWTR  ) and Shopify (SHOP  ) have decided to allow employees to work remotely permanently.

With so many companies opting to make telecommuting the new norm, the question of "is telecommuting more beneficial than traditional office work?" hangs in the minds of many. There have been many studies done on the effectiveness, but, as Forbes put it, "privately-sourced data is in danger of biased results." Even when narrowing the field of studies, the benefits of telecommuting for the modern corporate workforce is undeniable.

Cost is likely the first factor considered by many when contemplating telecommuting. By and large, telecommuting is a money saver. While some positions don't allow for telecommuting, a significant fraction of everyday office duties can be performed from home. The obvious benefit is less overhead from office-related expenses such as rent and utilities; additional savings can be made by employees not having to relocate to work in a specific office, the cost of which is usually covered by companies seeking to attract qualified candidates. Companies save an average of $11,000 per year per part-time telecommuter, which adds up when more positions are relegated to telecommuting.

In addition to reducing the cost of relocating employees, telecommuting removes the geographic limitations of traditional office environments. By allowing candidates from anywhere in the country to apply without needing to relocate, employers will have access to a far greater range of candidates. They will be able to circumvent shortages of trained personnel in the immediate area of an office.

Accountability is often cited as a drawback of telecommuting, as is a lack of employee interaction, which some feel stifles creativity and innovation. The reality is that productivity is actually increased by telecommuting, and for several reasons. Studies have shown that, while telecommuters take more breaks during the day, they dedicate more time overall to their work, and are less likely to see out distractions. The productivity is linked to the autonomy that telecommuting affords, and the comfort that telecommuters feel when working in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

Since telecommuting removes many of the stresses of an office environment and allows greater flexibility for employees, it can help employee retention. Allowing employees to forgo commuting, which costs money and can cause productivity hits due to stress and anxiety, is a significant contributor to retention. Commuting is such a major factor in the job hunting considerations of American workers that two thirds reported being willing to change jobs to ease their commute.

Allowing employees to work from home also reduces absences. Many employees who call out sick do so for reasons other than illness, such as stress, family emergencies, and so on. Telecommuting allows workers to perform their duties even when ill or recovering from a medical procedure. The lower stress and anxiety of working from home likewise cuts back on employees taking personal days to destress. Flexible hours and working at one's own pace allows many telecommuters to tend to their needs, such as attending appointments or running errands.

While the benefits of telecommuting are many, there are some downsides to consider. Telecommuting isn't for everyone, as some employees may desire an office environment and the in-person interactions that come with it. Additionally, since not all positions can be shifted to remote work, the issue of friction between telecommuting employees and employees forced to remain in-office will need to be dealt with by any company that opts to incorporate permanent telecommuting. In some cases, employees may be double-taxed, as some states required employees working for a company based within state borders to pay tax even if they aren't a resident.

In all, telecommuting stands poised to become the new norm for the white-collar American worker, or at least to become the new norm among many businesses. The benefits of telecommuting are numerous, and for many companies that are struggling financially amid the pandemic, the cost-cutting associated with telecommuting could help alleviate pandemic related losses.