BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — While this pandemic has been difficult for many reasons, some believe that remote working has actually been a benefit coming out of this pandemic, cutting down on commute time and also, being able to work from wherever you want.
“COVID showed us that we can work from anywhere,” said Jessica Matthews, executive director, The League of Dreams.
Jessica Matthews, lives in Idaho, but her job is nearly a thousand miles away in Bakersfield, she recently moved out of state but thanks to technology, that didn’t mean she had to quit her job.
“Both of us worked from home for quite some time when COVID first happened because of the unknowns and we were able to keep rocking and rolling and getting things done," said Matthews.
According to an Upwork survey, nearly 42% of the American workforce is working entirely remotely since the start of the pandemic.
The survey also suggests that by 2025 more than 36 million Americans could be working remotely, an increase of 16 million people from pre-pandemic rates.
“If you have the people that have the heart to do the job, they can really work anywhere.”
Matthews isn’t the only one moving during the pandemic, according to Erik Bildman, director of asset management at Sundae Real Estate COVID-19 hasn’t stopped people from changing locations in California.
“People are moving out of California, people are also moving within California and leaving some of the coastal cities to move to some of the more relatively affordable areas like Bakersfield and the Central Valley,” said Bildman.
Bildman suggests that because the majority of people are spending more time at home, the more they care about their living space.
“The impact of the pandemic we will feel this after things get back to normal, people will value their home office space, will value their outdoor space, will value their overall living situations more than they did pre-pandemic.”
Matthews believes that if it wasn’t for the pandemic she wouldn’t have been able to move while continuing to do what she loves and maybe even growing The League of Dreams Foundation.
“It would be really hard to transition into something different when I love it so much but I don’t know maybe this whole process has been we can get The League of Dreams started in different states.”
Also according to the Upwork survey employers are seeing an increase in productivity from those who are working remotely.
