By Prithwiraj Choudhury, Professor at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
What if your next office was not a cubicle but a quiet village in Spain, or a coastal town in Croatia?
The future of work is no longer constrained by the physical office. In fact, it has not been for a while. At Harvard Business School, I have spent over a decade studying how knowledge work can be separated from traditional geography. The research is clear: when designed thoughtfully, work from anywhere (WFA) is not just a benefit. It is a strategy for productivity, inclusion, and sustainability.
The Distinction That Matters
It is important to distinguish between working from home (WFH) and working from anywhere. WFH typically refers to working from your kitchen table in the same city where your office is located. WFA, on the other hand, allows employees to choose where to live, whether that is closer to family, in a more affordable city, or in a different country. And they can work not just from home, but from a co-working space, café, or even a remote mountaintop, as long as the Internet connection is secured.
Why Employers Should Care
Many assume WFA benefits only the worker. But my research has shown the advantages for organisations are substantial:
- Access to Global Talent: A company in the Netherlands can hire a developer in Portugal or a designer in Indonesia. Geography no longer determines opportunities.
- Talent Retention: WFA helps solve the “two-body problem” faced by dual-career couples, allowing one partner to relocate without forcing the other to quit.
- Productivity Gains: In a study I conducted at the U.S. Patent Office, we found a 4.4% increase in productivity when workers could choose their location. Proximity to family, lower cost of living, and reduced stress all contributed to this effect.
- Flexible Infrastructure: Real estate shifts from a fixed to a variable cost. Offices become optional, not obligatory.
Rethinking Hybrid: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly
Hybrid work is not one-size-fits-all. In my research, the optimal in-person time is around 25%. That does not have to mean two days a week. It could mean one full week a month, or a few days every quarter — models I refer to as monthly and quarterly hybrid. What matters most is intentionality: in-person time should be reserved for collaboration, culture-building, and mentorship and not for solitary work or back-to-back Zoom calls.
Managing Bias and Fair Performance Systems
One of the challenges of WFA is the risk of proximity bias where employees who are physically present receive more recognition or advancement opportunities. To address this, we need to move from input-based to output-based performance evaluations. Managers should not ask: “How many hours was this employee online?” but rather, “What did they deliver?” Additionally, 360-degree feedback (incorporating input from peers, subordinates, and clients) can counteract unconscious bias and ensure a fairer system.
A Tool for Equity and Revitalisation
WFA is not just a workplace policy. It is a tool for social and economic change.
Young people once left small towns for good, drawn to the opportunities in bigger cities. But today, we see talent flowing back. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, more than 4,000 remote workers have relocated through the Tulsa Remote program, contributing not only tax dollars and spending power but also launching new ventures and revitalising local communities.
Cities and countries are catching on. Portugal, Spain, and Italy now offer digital nomad visas. These are not regular tourism incentives but they are part of a global competition for talent.
Of course, risks remain: gentrification, tax complexity, and digital divides. But these are not reasons to abandon WFA. They are challenges that can be solved through local engagement, policy innovation, and organisational creativity.
Final Thoughts
The office is not disappearing, but it is being reimagined. In the coming years, I expect the workplace to resemble an offsite: a space for social interaction, not heads-down tasks. As digital twins, generative AI, and virtual wards enter the mainstream, even sectors like healthcare and manufacturing are exploring forms of WFA.
The question is no longer can we work from anywhere but it is how we do it well.
To learn more about the evidence and practical models behind these ideas, listen to my full conversation on the Work Rewired Podcast and explore my book “The World is Your Office”.