> IMO the simple problem here is that people are being paid for their time, not their output. Sure, the output is what is valued, but folks are paid for their time via an annual salary.

This is incorrect in the United States. Most WFH employees are under exempt status, and so by definition from US department of labor, they are explicity _not_ paid for their time. I'm on mobile so I can't find the link easy on the DOL website, but on desktop it is easy to find.