Evolution of the Working From Home concept

The concept of Working From Home   (WFH) is not a new and it has grown   over centuries, formed by   technological,  economic and social   changes.

Pre-Industrial Era (earlier the 18th  century): Most people worked from  their homes or farms.  Artisans,  weavers, blacksmiths, and other tradespeople commonly worked in or near their residences.



Industrial Revolution (18th and 19th centuries): The rise of factories led to centralization of work in urban centers. Home-based work declined as people moved to cities and began working fixed hours in centralized locations.

20th century: with the growth of the corporate industries and urbanization, most positions which need to perform in an office environment are shifted to offices.
The term telecommuting was coined in the 1970s as early communication technologies (fax and telephone) made remote work possible for some jobs.

Example - In 1973, Jack Nilles, a NASA engineer, proposed remote work as a solution to traffic congestion.

Rise of the Internet (1990–2000): The usage of personal computers, email, and the internet facilitate some professionals to work remotely, especially in technological fields.
However, WFH remained limited and often seen as a perk or for special situations.

Gradual Adoption 2010s: Working arrangements are more flexible with the support of Cloud computing, mobile devices, and collaboration tools like Skype, Slack, Zoom, and Google workspace.

- Many startups and tech companies incorporated remote work.
- Companies began experimenting with hybrid models, but office work remained dominant.

COVID-19 Pandemic 2020–Present: with the Covid-19 pandemic situation most of the organizations worldwide shifted to Work from Home arrangement almost overnight.
On-line tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and cloud platforms became essential with this work culture.

Post-Pandemic Era (2022 onward): Many companies adopted hybrid models, allowing partial remote work.

    - Debates continue over productivity, employee satisfaction, and long-term impacts.
    - Some organizations returned to full in-office work, while others went fully remote.

Reference

Barrero, J.M., Bloom, N. and Davis, S.J. (2023) The evolution of work from home. NBER Working Paper No. 31686. National Bureau of Economic Research. [online] Available at: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w31686/w31686.pdf [Accessed 9 July 2025].

Kumar, P.M. and Aithal, P.S. (2016) Working from Home – A Transition in the Concept of Workplace, International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education (IJCRME), 1(1), pp. 244–249. Available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2779236 (accessed July 2025).

Barrero, J.M., Bloom, N. and Davis, S.J. (2023) The evolution of work from home, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 37(4), pp. 23–50. DOI: 10.1257/jep.37.4.23.





Comments

  1. Tharmalingam KuganeshanJuly 27, 2025 at 7:24 PM

    This post does a great job of showing that working from home isn’t a modern invention. In pre industrial times people often lived and worked in the same place, but the Industrial Revolution moved labour into factories and offices. The term “telecommuting” wasn’t coined until the early 1970s, when a NASA engineer began experimenting with remote work, and it took the energy crisis in the late 1970s for the idea to gain traction.
    What has really driven the shift over the past few decades is technology. Barrero, Bloom and Davis trace the share of U.S. paid days worked at home from just 0.4% in 1965 to about 4% by 2016, thanks to personal computers and the internet. During the pandemic this jumped dramatically – more than 60% of workdays were remote in May 2020– and even now around one quarter of days are still done from home. Surveys suggest that by 2025 roughly one in five workers will be fully remote and about two fifths will have a hybrid schedule, so flexible arrangements seem here to stay.
    I also appreciated your point about the continuing debates over productivity. The research shows there’s a real difference between hybrid and fully remote work. A 2023 study found fully remote roles were about 10% less productive on average, often because of communication and mentoring challenges. In contrast, hybrid working had no measurable impact on performance and actually improved recruitment and retention. That’s supported by a large, randomized trial at Trip.com: employees who worked from home two days a week were just as productive and as likely to be promoted as their office bound peers, and resignation rates fell by one third. It seems a balanced mix of home and office days can deliver the best of both worlds.
    There are still trade offs. Remote workers often report higher productivity and lower stress, but they can feel isolated and may miss informal learning opportunities. Hybrid models offer more structure and face to face time, yet they must be managed carefully to ensure remote staff don’t become second class citizens. There’s no universal solution, but your timeline underscores how work arrangements have always evolved with technology and social change. As organizations refine their policies, aligning them with job requirements and investing in digital tools and management practices will be crucial.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ashoka SenavirathneJuly 30, 2025 at 2:29 AM

    Thanks Kuganashan for your valuable lengthy comments with great input to my article.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thushani N Sudusinghe - Empowering Working MothersJuly 30, 2025 at 10:32 AM

    Work From Home has changed a lot over time, from home based work in the pre industrial era to today's flexible hybrid models. Technology, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, made WFH easier and more common. Now, many companies mix remote and in office work based on their needs. Great summary! You clearly showed how Working From Home has evolved throughout history. I appreciate how well you linked the changes in technology and society over time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Himasha AmarathungaJuly 30, 2025 at 7:10 PM

    This is great, Author!
    And its showing how this work from home came from necessity to strategy. Post pandemic shift toward working method of hybrid reshaping many things as per Barrero, Bloom & Davis (2023). We also grew up in the industry with several changes. In your opinion, do u think that this changes/cshifts are sustainable in different industries?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ashoka SenavirathneAugust 1, 2025 at 7:47 AM

      Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing your perspective! You're absolutely right—what began as a necessity has quickly evolved into a strategic approach, and the work by Barrero, Bloom & Davis (2023) highlights that shift brilliantly.

      Delete
  5. Ramesha Nisansala KothalawalaAugust 1, 2025 at 5:34 AM

    The blog is a useful history of WFH but is largely about what and when and not so much the so what. It fails to seize the moment to analyze critically how WFH has transferred power between employees and employers, and how it affects things like mental health, work life balance, or discrimination (eg - access to technology or stable internet). Also, the blog concludes too shortly, what about emerging trends such as AI remote work or international hiring trends? More analysis would have made this a timeline as different to a basic list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ashoka SenavirathneAugust 1, 2025 at 7:44 AM

      Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. I appreciate your observations on the depth and direction of the blog. While this particular article was intended to provide a historical overview and context of the WFH evolution, I’ve explored many of the critical themes you mentioned—such as power dynamics between employers and employees, mental health, work-life balance, digital accessibility, and emerging trends like AI and global remote hiring—in other articles within the blog series.

      That said, your point about drawing clearer analytical links within this post itself is well taken. I’ll definitely consider integrating more direct analysis and reflective commentary in future updates to offer a more comprehensive narrative. Thanks again for engaging so meaningfully!

      Delete
  6. Jayathma Hettiarachchi August 1, 2025 at 11:02 AM

    Well done!! i like the way you describes how "Working from home concept evolved from early 18th century to todays' more technologically advance theme". It would be interesting to explore how companies are redefining performance metrics and team dynamics in this new era of remote work.

    ReplyDelete

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