Sarcouncil Journal of Applied Sciences Aims & Scope

Abstract: The rapid growth of remote work following the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the conventional labor market framework by undermining the geographic link between place of work and place of residence. This review article focuses on the impact of the extensive use of remote and hybrid employment models since 2020 on the patterns of geographic mobility and labor reallocation of the region. Synthesizing recent empirical scholarship across labor economics, urban sociology, and economic geography, the article maps the eroding utility of the traditional commute and the resulting volatility in regional labor demand. Current evidence suggests a definitive centrifugal shift: while remote work has catalyzed an exodus from high-cost metropolitan cores toward suburban and secondary urban markets, it has simultaneously integrated previously fragmented, cross-regional labor pools. Nonetheless, these changes have also had disproportionate effects, including skill inequalities and regional disparities in economic outcomes. The review addresses emerging policy issues in urban planning, digital infrastructure, and regional development and identifies key gaps for future research.