San Francisco Leads the Nation in its Desire to Avoid the Office

Although small businesses are beginning to see more revenue as San Franciscans return to the office, the return isn’t altogether welcome for the office workers themselves. 

In fact, San Francisco leads the nation in its desire to avoid the carpeted confines of the office. 

An economics professor at Stanford University named Nicholas Bloom co-conducted a survey that polled about 5,000 workers and 1,000 companies across the U.S. about their pandemic-related policies and work expectations going forward. 

Last Thursday, Bloom presented his findings at the “Future of New York City” conference, revealing that San Francisco edged out New York and Los Angeles in its desire to work from home. 

According to Bloom’s survey, San Franciscans intend to cut their office time in half, reducing the number of days spent on business premises by 53.3%. New York followed closely behind, clocking in at a 49.1% reduction. Los Angeles trailed Phoenix and Dallas at 47%. 

As reported by Bloomberg, Bloom doesn’t anticipate a drastic reduction in office space, “as many workers will still be in the office largely on the same mid-week days and typically work from home on Monday and Friday.” 

Nevertheless, the local economy will inevitably feel the absence of workers beholden to the office-bound grind. 

SFGATE reports that “the average San Francisco office worker will spend an average of $5,293 less per year compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic,” trailing projected reductions in Los Angeles and New York. 

San Francisco’s office avoidance can be partially attributed to the local population of tech workers, who, on average, “value working from home two to three days a week as much as an 11% pay increase,” cyber-dwellers that they are. 

Fair enough. Reporting to the office certainly has its drawbacks and drags.

But there’s something to be said for a crack at the ol’ face-to-face, no?