Nicholas Bloom

Today’s economy looks drastically different from the one that existed before the pandemic. So where do we go from here? In this talk, renowned Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom outlines a way forward while addressing such concerns as declining U.S. dynamism, modern task-based economics, looming inflation and a red-hot labor market that is putting financial pressure on businesses and challenging their staffing needs. He also discusses the economic impact of the “Donut Effect,” a recent pandemic-driven phenomenon resulting in urban populations declining and exurbs around them growing as workers flee highly-concentrated city centers – and what we can do about it. While identifying opportunities and risks inherent in change, Bloom explains how innovation and entrepreneurship can emerge from a crisis if we are willing to build past lessons into our future plans.

As businesses enter a new era of widespread hybrid and remote work, how do organizations preserve their company culture while also seizing the opportunity to change what wasn’t working? Emphasizing the need for quantitative measurements, renowned Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom – a global authority on remote and hybrid work models – outlines fair practices for successfully optimizing employee productivity and engagement when a significant portion of the workforce is absent from the office. He addresses concerns about the erosion of corporate culture and shares tips for improving employee retention. As WFH reduces employee connections, Bloom explains how management can fill the void with solutions that work for everyone.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, a curious phenomenon took shape: as workers fled highly concentrated city centers, urban populations declined and the exurbs around them boomed. In this presentation, Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom discusses how the “Donut Effect” has and will continue to reshape the U.S. economy. Drawing from data he collected after surveying thousands of firms, he delves into remote work’s effect on migration, real estate and diversity, and examines the pandemic’s impact on cities, which have lost roughly 15% of people and businesses after 40 years of expansion. He also contrasts the upsides of remote work, such as productivity and less commute time, with the downsides, such as inequities that may put mothers, disabled employees and poor workers at a disadvantage. Armed with decades of research and insights, Bloom shows audiences how to create a new working world that is at once more efficient and more empathetic.