Nearly half of Seattle-area adults working from home because of pandemic

[brooklynite]

Source: Seattle Times

The novel coronavirus pandemic has upended many aspects of our lives, including the way we work. Before the virus emptied out office towers, only a small fraction of the U.S. labor force worked from home. Now it’s commonplace.

But some new data reveals that the rise of telework has had a far greater impact on workers in some parts of the country than in others. Seattle is near the top among the nation’s largest metro areas for the switch to remote work since the pandemic.

In the Seattle metro area, which includes King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, nearly half (48.7%) of all adults have switched to teleworking because of the pandemic.

This data comes from the new Household Pulse Survey, which was conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau from Aug. 19 through Aug. 31. It shows that nearly 1.5 million people, age 18 and older, in our metro area have substituted some or all of their typical in-person work for telework because of the coronavirus pandemic.



Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/nearly-half-of-seattle-area-adults-working-from-home-because-of-pandemic/

[MANative]

1. I'd bet the number is similarly high in the NY Metro area

My latest work project is a space-reduction plan, carving out about 40% of our current floor plan for purposes of sub-letting. About 35% of us are now WFH full time and we've outsourced a chunk of our production process which allows a smaller footprint. Current offices are mid-town (39th and Broadway). CEO, CFO and I have reached a conclusion that the team currently working from home is extremely successful and there's a general consensus that we won't return them to the office for a year, at the very least. Some will be permanent WFH, regardless of COVID or any other outside influences.

[brooklynite]

3. Just ran the numbers for the office

They compose the numbers for the Metro area which goes out to Eastern PA.

42,8% total, so probably over 50% in the City proper.

[MANative]

4. Yup - can't say I'm surprised

Last time I ventured into the city (late June) it was still deserted. My CEO lives in the Rockefeller Plaza area and she said it's still like a ghost town most days.

[roamer65]

2. It's reducing GHG emissions.

Work from home should be the standard.

[maxsolomon]

5. That's me, and it will go through March 1st.

At least.

Could be worse; I have an Espresso Machine.

[LisaM]

6. I haven't been downtown (Seattle) since March.

Frankly, downtown Seattle had already become increasingly unpleasant, with relentless construction and stores and restaurants closing at an alarming rate. Macy's had just closed, storefronts on Third Avenue were sitting empty, businesses had been evicted while rents skyrocketed, the homeless problem was highly visible, the sidewalks were full of those rental bikes so it's hard to even walk down the street, bus routes disrupted all over the place, and Mom and Pop businesses essentially vanished.

We could go in and work in our office a couple of days a week (apparently it's quite deserted and safe feeling) but I see no reason to deal with how unpleasant downtown Seattle has become. There is absolutely nothing to attract anyone to go there. The little grocery store I frequented just closed a few weeks ago, and the curry place I liked to go to is having its building knocked down, and that's just the tail end of a string of closures.

[Joe Nation]

7. My son lives in Seattle and works for a blood donor company.

He doesn't get to work from home as a phlebotomist of course and is exposed every day to dozens of donors. He has commented on the fact the the expressways are empty on his way to work. It's working out for him.

[Skittles]

8. I am a regular platelet donor and feel comfortable with the procedures taken by the blood center

they were already in the business of being very clean; the questions can be answered online prior to the donation and the bed/carts are at least six feet apart, everyone stays masks....works for me