The tech industry is a lot broader than some high-profile companies that have made public announcements. My circles admittedly include a lot of people who work remotely anyway but my sense is that this shift is going to be fairly broad and sustained for people who can productively work remotely. (That said, I wouldn't literally move without having some discussion and assurances for whatever they're worth.)
There are no guarantees in life of course but I know multiple people moving from cities to more rural environments.
Re:Rents are dropping across the US
by phendrenad2 on Wednesday June 17, 2020 @10:30PM
(#23559205)
Some people are long on covid and think it'll go on for more than a year. It's a calculated risk. They could very well be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no one wanting to hire remote workers. Or they could be ahead of the curve.
I'm not sure I understand this. Tech industry is WFH for now. So you move out to Flyover, USA. Once the COVID-19 crisis is over next year, it's back to business as usual, and your company says, "Well, back to the office, everyone!" Now what? Move again? Do people just love moving or something?
Is the rent difference plus the cost to move all your belongings/vehicles (twice), plus the hassle of changing your kids's schools (twice) and uprooting everything (twice) really worth it?
There have been a handful of companies that have indicated the desire to expand their WFH/remote opportunities long-term, but most of them have given no such guarantee. If you're in Iowa and you get called back to the office, what's your plan?