hope.

On The Evolution of Work from Home

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to considerable shifts in job patterns and methods. Working from home (WFH) is one of the substantial shifts occurring due to the pandemic, in which some employers keep this work pattern even after the pandemic has ended. While some people prefer to work from the office, others find it more beneficial to work from home. By taking workers’ perspective, this post argues that WFH might be considered a positive change that should be kept for the long-run work pattern whenever possible.

To begin, it is worth identifying factors that drive firms to keep implementing WFH. In their study, Barrero et al. (2023) suggest that computer-intensive, analytically-oriented jobs in urban centers encourage workers to work from home to avoid commuting, saving their time and increasing their productivity. Moreover, infrastructure such as a high-quality internet network, enough space for a home office, and advanced managerial practices around performance assessment and monitoring are other driving forces to keep working from home. From the demographic aspect, WFH intensity is positively associated with the education level of individual workers, young and adult individuals, and the presence of children at home.

Next, why should we consider keeping the work-from-home culture whenever possible? From the point of view of individual workers, WFH could increase productivity and efficiency by reducing the monetary and time costs needed to commute to the workplace. For example, Gibbs et al. (2023) found that the savings in commute time significantly overcome the additional 1.5 hours each day that employees put into their jobs after fully remote working. Therefore, they could individually manage their time allocation efficiently to work and fulfill their tasks on time, assuming they have a time-discipline manner, and save some portion of income initially taken for commuting. Moreover, existing studies reveal that working from home some days a week not only enhances productivity but also leads to happier employees (Choudhury et al., 2022; Bloom et al., 2023), linking productivity gains with higher effort levels of happier employees, quieter work environments at home, and the time savings that employees place back into their jobs.

On the other hand, it should be acknowledged that there are concerns related to working remotely. Barrero et al. (2023) explain that the first concern relates to motivation and self-control, as working from the office might act as a commitment device to work under the supervision of the employer. Hybrid working arrangements might be an alternative to address this concern since they enable in-person meetings and simultaneously allow monitoring and coordination. Moreover, working at the office sometimes does not warrant that workers will be productive all day as some distractions might occur. The second issue concerns the possibility that shifting to WFH could slow innovations down by undermining the idea-generating capabilities. However, recent technological developments have supported WFH with higher quality virtual communications, such as the internet, better broadband infrastructure, video teleconference, cloud storage, and better software tools for remote collaboration.

It is imperative to note that working from home (WFH) might not be possible for all types of jobs. For example, in front-line retail, the tourism industry (whether skilled or semi-skilled), transportation, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and janitorial and cleaning services often require on-site presence, given that these entail face-to-face interactions with customers or colleagues and completion of tasks using specialized equipment (Barrero et al., 2023). In principle, the suitability of a job for remote work varies significantly along a spectrum (Barrero et al., 2023). Tasks that are inherently unsuitable for remote work cluster at one end, while those conducive to remote arrangements cluster at the other. If the tasks associated with a job predominantly fall on the less-suitable end, remote work is less likely to be adopted, and vice versa. Additionally, adopting remote work is influenced by evolving perceptions of productivity in a WFH setting, the quality of available remote work tools, and an organization’s ability to effectively manage remote employees.

To conclude, working from home or hybrid working could be prospective mechanisms of working for several types of jobs in the future. They offer benefits from increasing productivity and time efficiency of workers. While they might not be possible for occupations requiring physical presence at the workplace, working from home or hybrid working could be a beneficial option for other jobs that could be done remotely.

References
Barrero, J. M., Bloom, N., & Davis, S. J. (2023). The evolution of work from home. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 37(4), 23-49.

Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J. (2022). How hybrid working from home works out (No. w30292). National Bureau of Economic Research.

Choudhury, P., Khanna, T., Makridis, C. A., & Schirmann, K. (2024). Is hybrid work the best of both worlds? Evidence from a field experiment. Review of Economics and Statistics, 1-24.

Gibbs, M., Mengel, F., & Siemroth, C. (2023). Work from home and productivity: Evidence from personnel and analytics data on information technology professionals. Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics, 1(1), 7-41.

Questions

There are questions that lead to findings and innovations,
some questions function as guidance,
There are questions that leave puzzles,
some questions are better left unanswered.
There are questions that are irrelevant,
some questions possess quality.
Yet, questions are not the same as questioning,
While the former could be reassuring, the latter would cast doubt,
and when the former could come from curiosity, the latter might come from insincerity.

On Work as a Source of Meaning

Not everyone prioritizes having a job with deep personal meaning. While some people work only to earn an income, to pay the bills, or to have activities without fully enjoying them, other individuals find meaning in their job and put all their efforts out of their interest and talent. Given the relatively limited studies on nonmonetary incentives topic, it spares discussion space regarding the significance of the incentives on individuals’ motivation and labor supply. Considering the potential economic and psychological benefits and impacts, individuals might seriously need to think about meaningful job to optimize their long-run satisfaction.

Financial rewards were significant, yet they might not be the sole driving force of an individual decision to take a particular job. Rather than just a way of making money, work might serve as a source of meaning and purpose for many individuals. For instance, academia is compelled by the desire to enrich their field, utilizing their expertise to answer intellectual questions, finding fulfillment in pursuing their research interests, and feeling a responsibility to communicate these concepts to others (Cassar & Meier, 2018).

There are several aspects that could help in determining meaningful jobs for individuals. Firstly, jobs characterized by significant personal autonomy and a direct positive impact on others are often regarded as the most meaningful. The level of autonomy workers have in making decisions plays a crucial role in determining their job satisfaction, which in turn has implications for economic behavior, such as labor market mobility and productivity (Clark, 2001; Oswald et al., 2015). Moreover, participating in tasks where one excels tends to be enjoyable (Loewenstein, 1999) since workers might experience a sense of competence and fulfillment when they can utilize their talents, skills, or knowledge to accomplish a specific objective. Hence, the extent to which skills are utilized might link to both job satisfaction and the selection of occupations.

Secondly, the sense of connection among coworkers holds significant importance in finding meaning in one’s work. This aspect underscores the notion that relationships at work contribute profoundly to the overall sense of fulfillment, as positive social interactions in the workplace could lead to heightened job satisfaction (Morgeson & Humphrey, 2006). However, the impact of social incentives may vary depending on the dynamics among peers. For example, in certain situations, workers exhibit increased productivity only when collaborating with more competent friends, suggesting that the effectiveness of social connections in enhancing performance is contingent upon the capabilities of those involved (Bandiera et al., 2010). It is also suggested that the extent to which workers feel connected to the organization and its members is closely tied to perceptions of fairness in treatment, which plays a pivotal role in fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty among workers.

Work represents much more than simply earning an income: for many people, work is a source of meaning (Cassar & Maier, 2018)

It is worth highlighting some factors that could influence the decision to choose a meaningful job over other options. First, younger individuals tend to emphasize finding meaning in their work as they gain life experience (Bode et al., 2015). However, it is challenging to fully understand whether these preferences are due to potential factors that are not accounted for or cohort effects. For instance, financial responsibilities typically increase with age, and preferences may shift over time, while different generations may hold distinct values.

Moreover, one can argue that the significance of work meaning is primarily relevant for upper-middle-income individuals who have already fulfilled their basic needs. Nevertheless, workers with higher incomes tend to work longer hours and are more prone to becoming workaholics (Hamermesh & Slemrod (2005). This could be attributed to various factors, such as increased financial incentives or a higher intrinsic enjoyment derived from work (Freeman, 2008). Additionally, high-paying occupations may offer greater autonomy, competence, and social connections, contributing to a sense of meaning in work. Given these suggestions, it is imperative to note that there might be considerable variability in preferences for the meaning of work, not only in terms of whether individuals prioritize it but also regarding which aspects of the job they value. This heterogeneity underscores the complexity of understanding how individuals perceive and pursue meaning in their work.

Recalling the main question stimulating this post, should individuals seriously consider taking a meaningful job as the strictly preferred option among other choices set of potential jobs? Arguably, yes, given the significant benefits. As discussed by Cassar and Maier (2018), meaningful work not only leads to job satisfaction but also results in increased productivity and effort. This notion is significant because if a job lacks meaning, no matter how much effort is exerted, it will not yield much fulfillment. Conversely, if a job is meaningful, putting in more effort could enhance the overall sense of meaning of doing it. For instance, if a job involves utilizing one’s skills to overcome challenges, exerting greater effort might significantly elevate the sense of fulfillment derived from the work. On the other hand, if a job involves repetitive and unskilled tasks with minimal recognition, a higher effort is unlikely to enhance the perceived meaning.

It should also be noted that meaningful jobs do not necessarily offer lower pay compared to less meaningful ones, and the preferences of the employer also play a significant role. In a work setting where job meaning is lacking, where tasks are repetitive and dull, efforts are relatively underappreciated, and there is no autonomy over the production process, monetary compensation might become the sole motivator. In contrast, in a work environment with a relatively high job meaning is already high, financial incentives could still effectively encourage individuals to work harder to improve their living standards. Nonetheless, it might be possible that when job meaning already serves as a strong motivator for exerting more effort, monetary incentives might not substantially enhance motivation in such circumstances.

Taking a more macro perspective of the labor supply, Cassar and Maier (2018) suggest that meaningful jobs might affect the number of working hours and the elasticity of labor supply. In a framework incorporating the concept of work meaning, individuals derive added fulfillment from increasing their working hours, leading to a deviation from the standard neoclassical optimality condition where only income matters. Consequently, any decrease in employment affects utility on two fronts: through reduced income and diminished meaning derived from work. Moreover, workers who find meaning in their work are less inclined to reduce their working hours compared to those primarily motivated by income. As a result, the inclusion of work meaning in labor considerations makes labor supply, and consequently employment, less sensitive to economic fluctuations than it would be otherwise.

To conclude, it might be rewarding to work in a financially secure and meaningfully fulfilling job. While individuals have various considerations regarding job and career decisions, existing studies suggest potential characteristics, factors, and benefits of meaningful work. It might be relevant nowadays to put a significant portion in individuals’ consideration (whenever possible) before actually realizing their job decision.

References
Bandiera, O., Barankay, I., & Rasul, I. (2010). Social incentives in the workplace. The review of economic studies, 77(2), 417-458.

Bode, C., Singh, J., & Rogan, M. (2015). Corporate social initiatives and employee retention. Organization science, 26(6), 1702-1720.

Cassar, L., & Meier, S. (2018). Nonmonetary incentives and the implications of work as a source of meaning. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 32(3), 215-238.

Clark, A. E. (2001). What really matters in a job? Hedonic measurement using quit data. Labour economics, 8(2), 223-242.

Freeman, Richard B. “Why do we work more than Keynes expected?.” (2008). in Revisiting Keynes: Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren (eds) Lorenzo Pecchi and Gustavo Piga. MIT Press.

Hamermesh, D. S., & Slemrod, J. B. (2008). The economics of workaholism: we should not have worked on this paper. The BE Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 8(1).

Loewenstein, G. (1999). Because it is there: The challenge of mountaineering for utility theory. Kyklos, 52(3), 315-343.

Morgeson, F. P., & Humphrey, S. E. (2006). The Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ): developing and validating a comprehensive measure for assessing job design and the nature of work. Journal of applied psychology, 91(6), 1321.

Oswald, A. J., Proto, E., & Sgroi, D. (2015). Happiness and productivity. Journal of labor economics, 33(4), 789-822.

Shall We Make A Move?

Some individuals grow up with figured-out goals, what they want to do, and sometimes even the steps to achieve their goals. Meanwhile, other people are still puzzled about finding their objectives and the meaning of what they are doing. While this post attempts to provide a perspective on how to reveal our goals and know whether these are the real ones, it is still open for further discussion to enrich the points of discussion. It might be particularly relevant for individuals who have been doing some professional work for a while but feel indifferent about whether they should make a move or settle in the current state.

First, it is worth noting that we might have initial goals when deciding our job preferences. Nevertheless, there might be a misalignment between our short-term and long-term career aspirations. Depending on individual-specific circumstances, some individuals might have short-term goals related to the job that is not “the calling”. For example, to obtain a higher probability to grab some opportunities, such as expanding networks, having more experience, achieving a relatively stable financial-wise, and getting a higher education. Assuming that we have recognized our calling during the process, having short-run objectives and taking a certain position need not necessarily match our passion, i.e. the calling. When those short-term purposes have been fulfilled, and no other further purposes related to the current job, it could indicate a substantial consideration to make a shift.

Furthermore, we might reveal our real goals when we continuously feel restless and think about the other thing that has been becoming our passion or calling. Individuals are sometimes late in unraveling their life goals, and it could be quite tricky as we might realize that ‘the grass is greener on the other side’ might hold. Nonetheless, we might recognize the difference when we carefully investigate the source of the repeating restless feeling that is accompanied by thinking about the other jobs that are our calling. Moreover, examining whether the passion or calling is the real one by trying other jobs or positions costs us time and energy. Alternatively, we could try answering some questions about finding true talent or passion, such as what are our best skills, what achievements we have accomplished, and ultimately, how we want to spend and what kind of activities we want to do for the rest of our lives.

“I have never spent a day without thinking about my calling.”

It is imperative to note several things before actually making a move. Firstly, be patient as the process takes time. In the meantime, we could do actions relevant to that calling, even the seemingly insignificant or relatively small but actually crucial steps. If the current position is not in the calling, increase capacity, competence, and necessary skills related to the calling so that when it is time to make a move, we are already well-prepared and deserve to work on that calling. Secondly, carefully set ourselves in the right social circle and thoughtfully ask for advice from relatively wise individuals. These help us navigate and evaluate ourselves while simultaneously learning from others’ relevant experiences and lessons.

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm

To conclude, it might be never too late to pursue individuals calling in their lives. We are never too far away to come back. It takes commitment to make strategic actions relevant to the calling, equipped with self-discipline, motivation, and willingness to grow and move towards the ultimate goals.

Finding the True Gift and Passion

I got some advice during my contemplation and pondering. It suggests answering the following questions when we are clueless about our passion and calling, our life goals, and the path to follow. I am writing this post as a personal medium of expression as well as something worth sharing for those who are also puzzled by life goals and career path decisions. Here are those questions:

What are my ten best skills?
a. Writing (anything, but preferably related to economics, psychology, and philosophy)
b. Conducting literature review
c. Observing (anything)
d. Collecting and organizing data
e. Analyzing data
f. Learning quickly and being adaptive
g. Creative thinking
h. Interpersonal communication
i. Visualizing data
j. Critical thinking

Based on answers to question (1)

What do people say, or what achievements have I accomplished?
a. Passionate in economics and doing research
b. Cum Laude in undergraduate and master’s study
c. Journal publications
d. Deep/narrow thinking
e. More inclined to idealistic
f. Determination
g. Willing to pursue goals
h. Being organized
What activities do I enjoy the most?
a. Writing (anything, but preferably related to economics, psychology, and philosophy)
b. Conducting literature review
c. Observing (anything)
d. Collecting and organizing data
e. Analyzing data
f. Visualizing data
g. Critical thinking
What would I voluntarily do without getting paid?
a. Writing (anything, but preferably related to economics, psychology, and philosophy)
b. Conducting literature review
c. Observing (anything)
d. Collecting and organizing data
e. Analyzing data
f. Visualizing data
g. Critical thinking
What are the skills that I learned by myself?
a. Writing
b. Observing and making analysis
c. Critical thinking
d. Analyzing data
e. Visualizing data
What is my life vision?
Make the most of my skills, passion, and opportunity to use my talents for serving and praising God, inspiring others, and self-fulfilling. I see myself in the upcoming 5-10 years as a full-time researcher (economist) at a research institute/think-tank institution/consultant, doing research about economics, participating in seminars and conferences, becoming a speaker, and disseminating my research papers, particularly on international trade topics, and a part-time lecturer teaching international economics.
Who are my idols?
Richard Baldwin, Paul Krugman (honorable mention: Kiki Verico, Amanda Kerr)
How do I evaluate myself?
generous, kind, soft-hearted, analytical, mostly rational/objective, deep thinker, indecisive, passionate, idealist, somewhat perfectionist
Have my vision aligned with my romantic partner?
I have no romantic partner at the moment I answer this question.
How do I want to spend the rest of my life?
I desperately want to do economics research, teach international economics, and retire as a researcher (economist) and lecturer.

Rethinking The Passion or Money Debate

The debate of choosing a career path based on passion or money could be a never-ending discussion. Nonetheless, it is also interesting to rethink behind the curtain of the debate. How could some people be highly and rapidly advanced or accelerated in certain jobs, such as prodigies? Is it merely a gift or talent that plays a significant role in their career advancement? While several factors might contribute to the seemingly instant achievement of an individual’s career, it is likely the combination of gift and hard work that enables such accomplishment. This post is more of a view based on personal observations and is open for further discussion.

First of all, it is imperative to note that multifactor could be attributed to an individual’s career achievements, particularly the rapidly promoted person, including biological, socioeconomic circumstances, professional environment, and educational background. It is undeniable that at least these factors would influence one’s decisions, as mentioned by Sapolsky (2023), including when picking a job. The environment and background where an individual grows up might affect his will, character, and mindset, which might further affect the decision-making process and the outcomes. The synchronization of these backgrounds might allow an individual to accelerate in his career, assuming he already knows his talent and passion.

To put it in context, the trade-off between following passion or money when picking a career would not appear if someone has settled on monetary aspects. For example, suppose there is an individual from an upper-middle income family who does not have to worry about money and being in a sandwich generation would have more flexibility to choose a career in research following his passion. Now, let him also come from a family whose members are involved in academia i.e. come from a relatively intellectual and concern about education. While the synchronization of economic and social factors might not necessarily warrant success in the respective career, they might enhance the probability of the rapid advancement of the individual’s career in research as they influence the mindset, habit, and decision-making process. This would further enable the individual to focus on doing something he is passionate about and more likely to produce the best outcome in his career.

When some of those factors are not fully synchronized, it might impose consequences on the other factors to compensate for imbalances. To illustrate, suppose the individual in the previous example comes from a lower-middle income family i.e. being in a sandwich generation. The trade-off between passion and money when picking a job might appear, leading to a suboptimal career choice as he is more likely to (temporarily) sacrifice his job aspiration for a more stable, higher income, at least in the early period of his career.

As a closure, it might hold that more factors synchronized might lead to a higher chance of advancement in one’s career. The combination of talent, passion, hard work, and determination might be necessary for accelerating in any job. However, it might be thoughtful to carefully consider that one’s achievement might be substantially influenced by the environment and background where the individual comes from. This realization could be an encouragement to wisely decide the optimal choice for the optimal outcome subject to one’s circumstances.

Reference
Sapolsky, R. M. (2023). Determined: Life without free will. Random House.

In a Tunnel of Liminality

Being in liminality, a process of transitioning across boundaries and borders (Larson, 2014), is like going through a tunnel of uncertainty. At some point, we might find ourselves in an uncertain, uncategorized phase where it feels as if we go through a tunnel to get to the other side of a place or the next phase in our life. It is a point in between, a point of nowhere, where we might have mixed feelings about it. It is a process of a process.

I bring about this discussion as I recalled my trip to New York City the other day. The bus moved through a tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel, to get to the downtown. I could see the modern, big city of New York from the distance before getting to the tunnel. As the bus moved forward, it entered the narrow, dark tunnel with limited lighting. There might be alternative routes, but sometimes we do not get to choose, or sometimes we naively think we know what is best while in practice, it might not always hold. The thing was that I did not know how long the tunnel was, the signal got lost, and there was no scenic view to see along the tunnel i.e. nothing to enjoy in the middle of uncertainty. I come to realize that sometimes, we face this kind of situation in real life – the period of transition from one stage, one place, or one time to the other. We might have limited information, and it can feel congested. It might be uncertain how long it will take to get to the other stage, place, or phase. Nevertheless, we know that there will be lights that welcome us at the end of the tunnel.

If there are takeaways from this thought, it might be that we have to deal with and finish our affairs with the past before we are ready for the new ones. We have to leave the previous place before we get to the new place as we are unable to be in both places at once. The tunnel of liminality might be the bridge connecting the two, the process of a process of change that we are probably unaware that we might need. The next lesson would be to know that it is worth it to keep going on all the way to the bitter end. We cannot stop in the tunnel as it is not the destination, and the tunnel shall be passed anyway. The challenge is to have the consistency to keep going and to hold on to the realization that no matter how long it might take and how stressful it is to be under uncertainty, the tunnel is only a temporary way and a fleeting phase where we will be rewarded with something (hopefully) better after the tunnel.

As a closure, things might move rapidly in our lives, and we need to catch up with what is going on, that is, to be relevant. Being in a tunnel of liminality and getting through it. While keeping our hope alive – as cliche as it can be – it is still an undeniable truth that we need to afford throughout phases in our lives, including the liminality tunnel between those phases. Anyway, I ended up enjoying New York City, and it turned out to be a memorable experience.

References
Larson, P. (2014). Liminality. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Boston, MA

Find Something

Find something worth voluntarily dedicating hours to do and be absorbed with.
Find something we are genuinely passionate about, something that even only thinking about has already boosted our motivation and eagerness.
Find something we are willing to fight for no matter what.
Find something we have the potential to perform well, something that enables us to find the meaning of life and our existence.

Because that something might be the optimal choice among a set of alternatives.
Because that something could be the fuel when it feels weary, the warmth when it feels cold, the march when it feels empty.
Because that something should be the direction when disorientation appears.
Because It is worth it to keep going on with that something all the way to the bitter end.

The Messenger (Part 7)

A succinct summary of a certain period in photos and insightful quotes (according to the author’s opinion)

There are times and spaces when individuals are on liminality. The transition phase, waiting, pondering, and contemplating in the middle of the uncertainty of feelings and situations, creates mixed emotions and certain nostalgia. This phase might better be perceived as the stage of preparation, evaluation, and refreshment. Open the eyes and the heart, and brace the self for the new phase.

Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.
– Psalm

It is burdensome to carry baggage in literal and phrase meaning. Sometimes, it is unfeasible to take it all, and thus, some things need to be left behind to carry on new ones.

Adulting is taking care only of what’s relevant.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
– Ecclesiastes

Better is the end of a matter than its beginning.
– Ecclesiastes

I think I have found what I am looking for. Finding something worth voluntarily dedicating hours to do and be absorbed with.

Thank You, 2023

This post serves as a summary and key takeaways from the author’s point of view based on reflections and contemplations over the year 2023. At least, there are three life lessons learned from what the author has been through this year.

First, it is burdensome to carry baggage in literal and figurative meanings. Baggage, in literal meaning, could be burdening and impractical for mobility. Although it is functional to bring our stuff together, we only carry it temporarily. Meanwhile, emotional baggage could be unfinished emotional issues, stressors, pain, and difficulties brought from the past, yet the past should not be a concern. It might hold for both literal and phrase meanings that sometimes it is unfeasible to take it all, as some things need to be left behind to carry on new ones. The irrelevant or unused ones should be taken out to spare the space for the relevant and used ones.

Second, no matter how far down we may be, we are never too far down to come back. Indeed, commitment is needed to keep going on and make a comeback. Moreover, being able to commit, being honest and maintaining integrity, while they might pose costs, have value. They will pay off at some point and will be worth it eventually. On the contrary, the enemy of committing is compromising, which could be synonymous with damage. We are damaging our commitment to core values and principles when we compromise our boundaries. It might lead to a toxic relationship in a romantic relationship setting, while it could lead to a corrupt practice in an occupational context.

Third, there might not be such a sacrifice when we truly love someone and do something we are passionate about. We might voluntarily want to do anything and will be there no matter what for the one we love and for the job we are devoted to. We might feel fulfilled and energized by spending time with the person we really love and doing something we are fully willing to dedicate our time to. We will be loyal in loving our loved ones just like we will be persistent in doing our enjoyed jobs. We might always want to provide the best for the one we love as we might want to maximize the result of the job we devote to.

In conclusion, based on what the author has learned this year, the past become less relevant, except for its lessons, such that we might need to leave it behind as we look forward to providing the limited spaces for our priorities and pertinent aspects in our lives. Having integrity and being real in how we feel and what we long for in our lives could lead us to obtain precious rewards. Thank you for the lessons, 2023.