Liberation from location ties: A descriptive systematic review of shifts in location perception during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

• WFH redefined location ties but led to context-based, non-uniform shifts. • Home and neighborhood centrality rise with hybrid work and evolving place concepts. • Proximity-based models like the 15-minute city gain relevance in urban planning. • WFH prompted new residential choices without permanent population shifts. • Unmanaged transitions risk inequities; holistic “polycrisis” planning is essential. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a paradigm shift in the relationship between work, home, and urban structures, creating a situation where working from home (WFH) has become a significant driver of change. This descriptive-systematic review, using PRISMA 2020, investigates the impact of WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic on conventional location ties, which had far-reaching implications for urban geographies, work arrangements, and residential preferences. It includes studies related to location, WFH, and the pandemic indexed on Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases from 01. Jan 2019 to Jan 04, 2024. Key themes include changes in perceptions and urban development (outmigration and city planning, mobility, and socioeconomics). The findings revealed that, while WFH during the pandemic has deemed the necessity of job proximity and prompted a re-evaluation of residential choices, permanent and unanimous population shifts haven’t necessarily occurred, and responses have been context-based. Instead, a complex and transitional phase with hybrid work and evolving “place” and “location” perceptions has emerged that reflects the centrality of home and neighborhood for the future when remote work is prevalent. Proximity-based concepts like the 15-minute city and the focus on mixed-use neighborhoods are discussed. Authors caution that unmanaged transitions may exacerbate existing socioeconomic inequities as the extent of these changes depends heavily on the context, organizational policies, and socioeconomic factors. A holistic “polycrisis” approach is crucial for resilient, equitable post-pandemic urban planning. Longitudinal studies are recommended to track trends and inform future strategies.