Half of American workers would rather work from home forever: poll

Prior to that there was something called the "putting-out" system, where you'd sew some clothes or whatever and put it outside for someone to collect. And they'd leave you some raw materials.

I'm also of the WFH persuasion, but I'm unsure whether it's great for people who are starting their career.

For experienced people, they already know what the business is about, they are more likely to have kids and need a longer commute from the suburbs.

For people on their first job there's a lot of informal learning that happens in the workplace. You run into more people randomly at a traditional office, and you learn more about what exactly your role is.

What would probably make sense is for businesses to get more relaxed about whether you actually come into the office. If there's no meetings or requirements to get immediate feedback on a given day, why make people sit on a train for an hour?

- An office, with a door I can close

This was going to be a big list, but I actually think that just about sums it up. The cube environment at Google was utterly intolerable, and made it hard to concentrate. It didn't help that the guys in another group next to us had a game where they flew rc drones around for fun, or the folks on the other side of my group that were always discussing food, or the loud door to a lab behind my desk that was constantly slamming, etc, or just the constant stream of people walking by my cube.

At home I have a door that I can close. I can think. So I get a lot more done.

I'm not saying all office environments were terrible. Before 2001, I worked doing research at a University and I had a fantastic office with a door. I think I was just as productive there as I was at home. Because, again, distractions were minimal.

On the contrary, this seems like the most honest take on the topic of remote work preferences.

The headline says that 50% of Americans prefer working from home. That suggests that 50% prefer working from the office or aren't sure yet.

In other words: Some people like to work from home. Some people don't. That's the point that many of us have been trying to make all along.

When quarantining started, a lot of the WFH advocates came out of the woodwork and declared an early victory for WFH. There was an influx of hot takes that office spaces would be closed forever once people saw the benefits of WFH. They all ignored half of the population who really does not benefit from working from home.