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Exposure to remote work and probability of long-distance commuting: evidence from pandemic lockdowns

Author

Listed:
  • Johansson, Eleanor

    (Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.)

  • Nilsson, Pia

    (Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.)

  • Larsson, Johan P

    (Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge, UK.)

  • Naldi, Lucia

    (Centre for Family Business and Entrepreneurship CeFEO, Jönköping University, Jönköping Sweden.)

  • Westlund, Hans

    (Department of Urban and Regional Studies, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate how the lockdown-induced exposure to remote work affected the likelihood of switching to longer commutes using a longitudinal full-population register of Swedish employees. We find that employees with little experience of longer commutes were more likely to start commuting longer if they had occupations with high potential for remote work. Examining heterogeneity across sectors, this is especially evident among high-skilled workers in sectors with low pre-existing shares of remote work and longer commutes. Our findings are important for understanding regional expansion and spatial extensions of labour markets in a world where more work can be done remotely.

Suggested Citation

  • Johansson, Eleanor & Nilsson, Pia & Larsson, Johan P & Naldi, Lucia & Westlund, Hans, 2024. "Exposure to remote work and probability of long-distance commuting: evidence from pandemic lockdowns," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 498, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies, revised 24 Feb 2025.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:cesisp:0498
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • R10 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - General
    • R30 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - General

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