If you’ve ever sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Bogotá’s Carrera 68, you already know the frustration that’s now reshaping how people in the Colombian capital choose their jobs. A new report from coworking company WeWork and recruitment firm Michael Page shows that commute times have become just as important as—or even more important than—salary for many workers across Latin America, including Bogotá.
The study, which surveyed workers in several major cities in the region, found that a staggering 90 percent of people who prefer remote or hybrid work arrangements do so specifically to cut down on travel time. In a city like Bogotá, where traffic congestion is notoriously bad, that’s no small consideration: residents routinely lose hours each week navigating gridlock on their way to and from the office.
The findings suggest a broader shift in how Latin American professionals weigh job offers. Where compensation once reigned supreme, quality-of-life factors—especially the daily grind of getting to work—are now driving decisions about whether to accept in-person positions or push for remote flexibility. For companies competing to attract talent, the message seems clear: a shorter commute, or the option to skip one entirely, may be as persuasive as a bigger paycheck.
Curious about the full breakdown of the data and what it means for Bogotá’s workforce? Check out the original report at El Tiempo.
Image: Oran Viriyincy, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).