The average workday increased during the pandemic’s early weeks (2020)

Some of the pandemic increase in time worked may have been a net benefit to the folks working. A lot of people I know spent at least some of the time they otherwise would have spent commuting working remotely. And, since commuting sucks, ended up happier for it. Anecdotes aren’t data, but this pattern was very common among people I know.

The business got more benefit. Harder to argue it is for the employees.

And people work for businesses for their own self interest. A more successful business can afford to pay its employees more. Employees get more satisfaction from completing accomplishments. Tasks which make employees lives easier are more likely to get done. There is less stress when things are less crammed schedule-wise.

I mean we've all experienced the feeling of "I want to get this done but there just isn't enough time." Taking more hours of your day just exhausts you more, but eliminating a task that doesn't help you, whether it be busywork or a commute, is fantastic. If given the choice between sitting in traffic and knocking things off my to do list, what kind of freak would choose the former?