The 1 Reason You Should Ask to Work From Home Right Now (And It’s Not About Productivity)

An international organization has a work-from-home suggestion that employees might love.

BY CHLOE AIELLO, REPORTER @CHLOBO_ILO

An international energy organization is requesting that employees work from home when possible. It’s one of an assortment of recommendations the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) released on Friday in an effort to help world leaders reduce the negative effects of oil market disruptions stemming from the war in Iran.

“The war in the Middle East is creating a major energy crisis, including the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement. “In the absence of a swift resolution, the impacts on energy markets and economies are set to become more and more severe.”

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively blocked amid Iranian attacks on shipping vessels after the U.S. and Israeli initiated strikes late last month. The U.S. is also escalating its attacks on Iranian forces in an effort to clear the strait, The New York Times reported.

The IEA report notes that oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amounts to about 20 percent of the oil consumed globally, but has fallen “to a trickle.” The IEA already moved to release the largest stock of emergency oil reserves in history—about 400 million barrels. Brent crude futures, an international benchmark for assessing oil prices, were trading north of $100 per barrel on Friday. Investment bank Goldman Sachs noted that prices could surpass an all-time high of about $147, reached during the 2008 energy crisis, if shipping through the strait remains limited, Reuters reported.

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“Supply-side measures alone cannot fully offset the scale of the disruption. Addressing demand is a critical and immediate tool to reduce pressure consumers by improving affordability and supporting energy security,” the report reads.

Here are a few of the agency’s recommendations for reducing global oil demand—some of which workers will be very keen to hear:

Work from home to reduce the oil toll of commuting, especially for workers for whom remote work is feasible.

Reduce roadway speeds by about 6 miles (10 km) per hour for passenger vehicles, as well as commercial vans and trucks.

Use public transit options like buses and trains.

Authorities should consider limiting access by private vehicles to public roads in major cities through number-plate rotation. Versions of this type of policy have already been used in major cities in countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico to reduce congestion and improve air quality. Although policies differ, they generally limit which vehicles can drive on specific roads on certain days, based on their license plate numbers. 

Increase carpooling and more efficient driving practices, and ensure commercial vehicles are well-maintained and efficiently loaded for diesel savings.

Reduce or eliminate air travel when possible, especially for business.

Some governments around the world, particularly in Asia, have already implemented some of these changes. Governments in Pakistan and Thailand have already released directives for some public sector employees to work from home when possible to reduce oil used during commuting. The Philippines has implemented a four-day in-office policy for public staff, and Vietnam has encouraged all citizens to work from home when possible, or to commute via bicycle, TechRadar reported.

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