Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think there's a high degree of ignorance in this area nowadays. Companies (well old-fashioned managers) think of remote work as a way of slacking off work, hence not encouraging it or even offering it in the first place. It's only the people who do work remotely and know how to do so understand the productivity impact and the freedom it brings from being tied to an office all day every day in this day and age.
Some people do slack off work. It's sort of like welfare. We're more concerned with who would abuse it, rather than who it would help, even when the benefits exceed the potential fraud.
Fair point. But if someone is likely to slack off when WFH, they pretty much can do the same at the office. It's a matter of discipline and productivity. I think one should be more concerned of managing the work (i.e. output) rather than the time or location.