Remote work has undergone a seismic shift in the past few years, with the pandemic acting as a catalyst for rapid transformation. At Running Remote 2025, Stanford economist and remote work expert Professor Nick Bloom will take the stage to dissect the myths, realities, and future of distributed work. Ahead of his keynote, we had the opportunity to sit down with him to discuss his research and insights into the evolving landscape of remote and hybrid work.
Who is Nicholas Bloom?
Nick Bloom is the William D. Eberle Professor of Economics at Stanford University, specializing in remote work, management practices, and economic uncertainty. He co-directs the Productivity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship program at the National Bureau of Economic Research and co-founded WFH Research, which conducts the Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitudes. With academic credentials from Cambridge, Oxford, and University College London, he has previously worked with the UK Treasury, McKinsey & Company, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies. His influential research has earned him prestigious accolades, including the Guggenheim Fellowship, Sloan Fellowship, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Beyond academia, Bloom has played a key role in shaping work-from-home policies, having advised hundreds of CEOs, spoken at the White House, and met with President Obama. His expertise has been widely covered by major media outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and The Economist. Dubbed the “Prophet of Remote Work” by Fortune and “America’s Best Work-from-Home Expert” by Business Insider, he was also recognized in the Bloomberg50 for his thought leadership on remote work. A LinkedIn Top Voice in Remote Work, Bloom continues to be a leading authority on the future of distributed work.
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The Latest in the RTO and WFH battleProfessor Nick Bloom (Stanford) cuts through the noise with straight facts on today’s work-from-home versus return-to-office trends.
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The Three Stages of Remote Work Evolution
According to Bloom, the evolution of remote work can be categorized into three distinct stages:
- Pre-Pandemic (Before 2020): Remote work was gradually increasing, doubling roughly every 15 years, thanks to improving technology. However, it remained a relatively niche practice.
- Pandemic Era (2020-2022): The world was thrust into a fully remote environment, accelerating the shift dramatically.
- Post-Pandemic Stabilization (2023-Present): The new normal is a hybrid workforce, where most professionals blend remote and office work. This stabilization represents a 30-year acceleration of the pre-pandemic trend.
Productivity vs. Profitability: Rethinking Remote Work Metrics
While productivity is often debated in remote work discussions, Bloom urges companies to focus on profitability instead.
“The research shows hybrid work has about zero impact on productivity if well organized, such as a structured 3-2 model (three days in-office, two remote),” he explains. “Fully remote work is more variable—call centers often see increased productivity, while roles requiring collaboration, like academia, may struggle.”
The real advantage of remote work? Cost savings.
“Even if productivity drops slightly in a fully remote model, the reduced costs—office expenses, labor costs—can lead to significantly higher profitability,” Bloom points out. “Companies can save 40% or more in expenses, making fully remote operations extremely appealing.”
Maintaining Corporate Culture in Remote and Hybrid Work
One of the biggest concerns with remote work is its impact on corporate culture. Bloom suggests that hybrid models should focus on synchronized office days to maintain innovation, mentoring, and collaboration.
“For fully remote organizations, structured meetups and events are crucial. Alternatively, companies can accept some cultural trade-offs in exchange for lower costs and higher profitability,” he notes. “Not every successful business needs to follow the same in-person playbook.”
Advice for Leaders: Ignore the Noise and Do What’s Best for Your Business
With return-to-office (RTO) mandates making headlines, Bloom advises leaders to block out media and political pressures. Instead, they should focus on what works best for their workforce:
- Hybrid for professionals and managerial staff.
- Fully remote for specialized or support roles.
- In-office for front-office and customer-facing employees.
“There’s no universal solution—companies need to optimize based on their industry, workforce, and objectives,” he says.
The Future of Remote Work: What’s Next?
Looking ahead, Bloom predicts remote work levels will continue rising over the next decade.
“Every decade since the 1960s, work-from-home rates have roughly doubled due to advancements in technology,” he explains. “Better augmented and virtual reality, improved video conferencing, and evolving collaboration tools will further support this shift. Additionally, as office leases expire and younger, remote-first companies grow, remote work will become even more prevalent.”
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What to Expect from Nick Bloom’s Keynote at Running Remote 2025
At Running Remote 2025, Bloom will address the misconceptions and misinformation surrounding remote work.
“There’s a lot of fake news around return-to-office trends and working from home,” he says. “I’ll be presenting big data on what’s actually happening, where the trends are heading, and what’s best for organizations looking to maximize profitability and growth.”
If you want to cut through the noise and gain data-driven insights on the future of work, don’t miss Nick Bloom’s keynote at Running Remote 2025.
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Research, experiments and real-world challenges: The latest insights on distributed work
Nick’s insights from Running Remote 2024
At Running Remote 2024, Professor Nick Bloom joined a panel alongside experts from Atlassian, Datavant, and the Future Forum to discuss the latest research on distributed work. The session, “Research Experiments and Real-World Challenges: The Latest Insights on Distributed Work,” provided data-driven insights into how remote and hybrid work models are evolving, the impact on productivity, and the real-world challenges organizations face in implementing these models effectively.
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Join Us at Running Remote 2025
The future of work is evolving, and Running Remote 2025 is where forward-thinking leaders come together to navigate this shift. Secure your spot today and gain access to world-class speakers, cutting-edge insights, and unparalleled networking opportunities.
Key benefits of attending include:
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Actionable Insights: Gain practical strategies from global thought leaders in remote work.
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Networking Opportunities: Connect with 500+ attendees, including C-level executives, founders, and HR leaders.
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Cutting-Edge Research: Discover the latest trends in AI, distributed team management, and hybrid workplace strategies.
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Interactive Sessions: Participate in deep dives and keynotes across two dynamic stages.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to future-proof your team at Running Remote 2025! Join us in Austin on April 29-30, 2025, and be part of this transformative journey. Secure your Spot
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Register Now for Running Remote 2025
