The Benefit Employers Are Leaving On The Table

As we draw near to benefits season, and as more and more employers are realizing the hype of the AI/ML bubble, businesses are overlooking one big way they can save money and give employees (both current and prospective) a direct benefit that will actually feel like a benefit… or even a raise. And they probably already have the infrastructure to do it. It’s returning to remote work. Let’s do the math. First, an important note. Most of these numbers are averages unless otherwise specified. Averages can be misleading if there are very high and very low numbers involved. Median is a different type of statistic where half the people are above and half below. The most recent data available is used, though that date varies a lot for a number of reasons. The average person in the US drives somewhere around 15 miles each way for their work commute. The average mileage for a car in the US is 26 miles per gallon. The current cost of a gallon of gas for me, today, 4 Sep 2026, in Dayton, Ohio, is…