Fox Cities News

Lawrence University alumnus Jack Nilles is gaining renewed recognition for his pioneering research on remote work. The National Film Board of Canada released a documentary titled "Work Different" on March 1, which delves into the history and future of remote work, highlighting Nilles' groundbreaking study from the early 1970s.

In the documentary, Nilles recounts how companies dismissed his ideas about remote work five decades ago, despite evidence showing potential savings in millions of dollars, increased employee satisfaction, and environmental benefits. “They said, ‘Yeah, that was a great experiment; forget about it, we won’t do it,’” Nilles remarks in the film by filmmaker Julien Capraro.

Nilles' research aimed to reduce vehicle traffic by decreasing the number of commuters. He notes in the documentary that “at least 40% of the workforce then, more like 50% to 60% now, are people with information jobs.” According to him, these workers do not need to be at a specific location to perform their duties.

For over fifty years, Nilles has advocated for remote or hybrid work models. During an interview with Lawrence Communications at age 87 amid the COVID-19 pandemic's onset, he discussed his research and its newfound relevance as office workers transitioned to remote setups. He predicted that remote work would persist beyond the pandemic's end—a forecast that holds true today.

“Now that it’s here," Nilles said regarding remote work during the pandemic period," it has clearly altered things, and I think permanently.”

The new documentary can be viewed online.