CEO of the world’s largest workspace provider says commuting will be extinct by 2040—and your kids will think it’s ‘mad stuff’ professionals once did

The CEO of IWG, the world's largest workspace provider, predicts that commuting to work will become extinct by 2040. Mark Dixon anticipates that future generations, particularly Gen Alpha, will find the concept of commuting to an office as "mad stuff" or ancient. This shift is expected to occur as more work becomes online and accessible from anywhere, making the physical workspace obsolete.

Dixon believes that Gen Alpha, accustomed to working remotely, will view commuting as outdated and impractical. In addition, research from IWG and Arup indicates that long daily commutes could be a relic by 2040, with only a quarter of Gen Alpha expecting to spend over 30 minutes traveling to work. The majority of Gen Alpha anticipates working closer to their homes or even remotely.

Dixon further predicts that as older leaders retire and embrace flexibility, the practice of commuting will gradually fade away. He emphasizes that companies failing to adopt technology and remote work will fall behind, particularly in the face of AI advancements.