In speaking at the 90th U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway stressed the negative effect of telework on the future of working and living in urban cores, according to a Wisconsin State Journal report. According to the American Institute for Research, 45% of all full-time U.S. employees now work from home either full-time or part-time — a sharp increase from the 6% who did before the pandemic. Madison ranked second in the nation for remote workers in December.
Rhodes-Conway said remote work has meant fewer workers eating out and a reduction of goods and services coming into town, creating serious implications for small and locally owned businesses. Rhodes-Conway emphasized the importance of racial and gender equity when addressing the effects of remote work because the impacts are not felt equally.
