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To a viewer, crowds of people pouring out of docks and masses of parking lots at the rush hour of a weekday might seem to have a similar story.
But take a closer look: Some wipe the sleep out of their eyes, others put away their makeup bags, and some would possibly unroll a travel pillow around their neck.
These are the long-distance travelers, the ones who wake up in the dark and in their car or exercise at home at home.
And I love to travel.
Not surprisingly, during the pandemic, the average commute time decreased.
In 2019, one in ten employees went on a one-hour adventure, while only 3% went on an adventure longer than 90 minutes. But according to the U. S. Census Bureau, the number of people who traveled for more than an hour dropped to 7. 7%. in 2021, with an average reduced to 25. 6 minutes from 27. 6 minutes in 2019.
When COVID hit, some of the world’s largest companies vowed to switch to remote or hybrid paints for good.
About two million people left major U. S. cities between 2020 and 2022, hoping their commutes would become less common as the world reopened.
However, about a year later, corporations are retiring their staff and the mandate is back in full force.
Still, veterans of ultracommuters say positives can be found and are tired of the recriminations of newcomers.
Jonathan Walters has made long commutes to work for most of his life as a runner.
Before COVID, he commuted from Chicago to squares in Naperville (about 45 to 75 minutes by car, depending on traffic) and in 2021 he moved to a smaller city to be closer to his task. The only challenge he had was his homework replaced and forced him to return to Chicago.
For some people, this probably unavoidable trip can be a problem, but for the associate vice president of a trucking company, it’s welcome.
Walters told Fortune that he referred to his 5 a. m. departure as “windshield hour,” to get his mind in order.
“When I arrive I’ve been pretty focused for over an hour, I’ve had time to prioritize my day and the first two or three things that are going to be on my list,” he explained. . ” Especially when it comes to internal or consumer meetings, I can make sure they’re more concise because I’ve already had time to plan them. “
Previously, Walters, like millions of others, considered it a “necessary evil. “
He decided to give it a try to change his mindset and view time as a positive, saying that other people deserve to “enjoy it instead of complaining about it. “
“The complaint may not replace anything,” he said. You could also turn it into something that, if not productive, is at least positive. “
On the other side of the Atlantic, five-year-old Melissa Howard’s day also begins at five in the morning. Twice a week, he commutes from his home in Cambridgeshire, England, to his office, taking two trains to and from London.
By 8 a. m. , the PR manager is at work (an hour before most of her industry colleagues log in) and already has a plan of action for her day: She says it gives her a “head start. “
“I’m excited for the day, especially when I get there before everyone else,” Howard said. “It gives me an extra hour to settle in, I do more things while being distracted by someone. “
Howard’s trip costs him £180 (about $219) per week, part of which is covered by his employer.
She’s one of the lucky few: Most workers are footing the bill for a 31% increase in expenses compared to pre-COVID. The average American spends $8,466 a year commuting, according to estimates based on government data from the real estate agency Matchmaking. Smart Real Estate service.
In the UK, it’s a similar story: the average user would spend around £17. 23 ($21) to get to the paintings each day, this amount increases when moving to primary centres such as London, Manchester and Birmingham.
But while Howard misses the convenience and social side of life in London, she has no plans to move to the metropolis.
“If we compare the costs to the benefits, I just don’t think it’s enough,” Howard said. “It’s not just about rent. It’s about pretty much everything that goes into it: food, drinks. “
Similarly, although Walters costs him about $6,000 a year, he mentally makes up for it with the delicious and “constant” wonder of how much more affordable life is in Naperville than in Chicago.
“For a bottle of wine we pay one-third or two-thirds of what we would pay in Chicago, even in the same restaurant chain. Nowadays, the city downplays everything: whether it’s parking, tolls, street parking, municipal stickers – just having the luxury of owning a car comes with a lot of extra expenses,” he said.
Her two-story, four-bedroom home also offers more space for her eight- and four-year-olds, and she feels they’re safer and more independent outside of America’s third-largest city.
Fortune spoke to all long-distance travelers that normal commutes to the workplace are necessary, whether it’s to spend some very important time face-to-face with the boss or exchange concepts with colleagues.
Micah Shepard is president and regional general manager of Schaeffler’s Asian operations and oversees 1,600 employees across 10 offices and plants.
Although Shephard lives in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, he spends part of his degree year not only commuting to work, but also taking long-distance trips: next month alone he will travel to Germany, Australia, Vietnam, China and the Philippines.
Without that sacrifice — Shepard is a father of two — the CEO said he would have “definitely” achieved the same point of career success.
“The visibility that comes with traveling or traveling to other places puts you in a narrow category of workers,” he told Fortune. “I also proposed that younger workers be informed by older people who come to the office. “
As Shepard, one manager, explains, those who work fully remotely are “out of sight, out of mind,” but the flexibility identified doesn’t hold staff back if they perform well in a remote or hybrid role.
As soon as he hit the road again, Shepard saw an advantage in the company’s success.
“If I look at the functionality of my team over the last year and the fact that I traveled and returned to the market (compared to my peers) was replaced faster, the medium-term expansion was faster, and the products, launches, visitors, engagement and marketing activities have increased significantly,” he stated.
This story appears in Fortune. com
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