Map of London showing employment changes due to the zoomshock

Zoomshock: The geography and local labour market consequences of working from home

Covid Economics The ‘Zoomshock’, a result of Covid-19, pushed work into homes, reshaping local service demand. Examining UK data, we find: substantial worker mobility, declining activity in city centres, and a move to suburbs with fewer local services. We discuss post-Covid employment and economic recovery.

January 2021 · Gianni De Fraja, Jesse Matheson, James Rockey
Decline in Crime

Do Remote Workers Deter Neighborhood Crime? Evidence from the Rise of Working from Home

*** R&R Review of Economic Studies***Working from home leads to a 4% decrease in neighborhood burglaries for every 9.5pp increase in WFH. This is attributed to burglars avoiding occupied homes and increased surveillance (“eyes on the street”). High WFH areas, especially with prior burglary risks, see increased property value.

Jesse Matheson, Brendon McConnell, James Rockey, Argyris Sakalis
LPS Demand Changes London

Remote Working and the New Geography of Local Service Spending

Remote work reshapes where workers spend time, impacting local personal service demand in England and Wales. A 20% drop in commuting leads to a 7% LPS spending fall. City centres see the largest spending reductions, while increases are widespread. Less affluent areas see fewer remote work benefits.

Gianni De Fraja, Jesse Matheson, Paul Mizen, James Rockey, Shivani Taneja