If anything, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID -19) pandemic has taught us to rethink our lifestyles and question our need to travel to work every day. After all, in the age of internet, zoom meetings and webinars can be virtually conducted and physical distancing is possible. A large nature of work in cities is of tertiary nature, a major part of which can be done from home. This can affect the way offices function and reduce the need for all employees to be physically present every day. Information Technology companies are already contemplating a move of making many of its employees work from home and make this a ‗new normal‘. If more firms follow suit, the need for huge office buildings and central business districts would change. Apartments cannot get bigger at the same rate, and people may not have the space or atmosphere to work from home. This would mean that more people would opt for co-working spaces close to their homes. This could be a game changer, for it would provide the cities to better distribute their activities throughout the spaces and rid themselves of the idea of zoning. Only a handful of professionals are allowed to function from residential zones, including doctors, lawyers, architects, etc. This needs serious rethinking. Many more professions of similar nature that do not disturb surrounding residence and have no requirements of special services should be added to the list. This new work culture would bring associated demand for food joints, cafés, stationary shops, etc.
[Excerpt from „Down to Earth‟ Magazine, Blog authored by Sugeet Grover, August 17, 2020]
Consider the following statement: ―Work from home culture is a sustainable method of business and should be extended to all professions.‖
Which of the following weakens the Author‘s argument?
Correct Answer :
Both a) and b)
Solution :
Correct Answer: Both a) and b)
Step-by-step Explanation:
To determine which statements weaken the given statement, let us analyze the argument and each statement individually:
Given Statement:
"Work from home culture is a sustainable method of business and should be extended to all professions."
Analyzing Statement a:
"Not every type of profession fits in the ‘work from home’ culture as different professions have different requirements and need different environmental and work space settings."
Evaluation: The passage mentions that a large nature of work in cities is of tertiary nature, but not all jobs can be done remotely (e.g., manufacturing, physical labor, hands-on healthcare, etc.). Pointing out that different professions require different environmental setups directly contradicts the claim that WFH "should be extended to all professions." Thus, statement a) weakens the argument.
Analyzing Statement b:
"‘Work from home’ impacts a person’s mental health."
Evaluation: The given statement claims that WFH is a "sustainable method of business." If WFH negatively affects mental health, it poses a challenge to its long-term viability and sustainability for employees. Thus, statement b) also weakens the claim of WFH being an entirely sustainable model for business.
Since both statements a) and b) provide points that undermine or weaken the feasibility and sustainability of extending WFH to all professions, the correct choice is Both a) and b).
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