I managed to go into scientific research to find out facts that stand out on working from home, especially the impact of working from home. Below I share the findings.
Related: What you need to know about working from home
- The study analyzes the productivity of over 10,000 skilled professionals at an Indian technology company before and during the working-from-home period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that while hours worked increased, output declined slightly, and productivity fell by 8% to 19%. The study then analyzed the determinants of productivity changes and found that higher communication costs were an important source. Time spent on coordination activities and meetings increased, while uninterrupted work hours shrank considerably. Employees also networked with fewer individuals and business units inside and outside the firm and had fewer one-to-one meetings with supervisors.
- When remote work becomes mandatory and full-time, the effects on productivity and performance can be less than ideal and even harmful.
- Hybrid working reduced attrition by 33% and improved job satisfaction measures. It also altered the structure of the working week, with reduced working hours on home days and increased hours on office days and weekends. The study also found that hybrid working increased messaging and video calls, even when all employees were in the office, reflecting a move towards more electronic communication.
- More than 10% of job postings in these countries offer remote work options.
- The findings from Microsoft Japan's experiment with a four-day workweek show that it can be a huge boon to employee productivity. The company recorded an almost 40% jump in productivity levels after cutting its work hours. The increase in productivity was attributed to meetings being capped at 30 minutes and an increase in remote conferences. The firm saw a decrease in costs, with 23.1% less electricity used and 58.7% fewer pages printed over the period.
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Approximately 35% of workers had jobs that were amenable to working from home in 2016. The level of education and income levels impact the capacity to work from home.
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- Remote workers have higher perceived autonomy, supervisor-rated performance, job satisfaction, and lower turnover intentions than office-based workers.
- One study study found that telework has a positive effect on productivity, retention, and turnover intent. Telework boosts productivity by providing a more suitable work environment, increases retention by offering greater flexibility and work-life balance, and reduces turnover intent by reducing stress and improving job satisfaction.
- An analysis of 46 studies involving over 12,000 employees shows telecommuting had mainly positive effects on proximal outcomes such as perceived autonomy and lower work-family conflict. This means that employees who worked remotely felt more in control of their work. In addition they experienced less stress related to balancing the two.
- Working from home can be effective for some employees, but there are also potential drawbacks. According to this study working from home increased productivity and work satisfaction among call centre employees in China. However, promotion rates for these employees fell.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, workers with workplace flexibility, good home office environments, and organizational support reported higher productivity and work-life balance.
- Working from home can provide flexibility to balance work and non-work commitments. It can also lead to long work hours and greater intrusion of work into family life.
- Millennial men, unlike other generations and significantly more than Millennial women, see personal career development problems working remotely.
- Women who work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic are more likely to experience psychological distress than men who work from home.
- Working from home affects time spent on paid and unpaid work differently for men and women in Australia.
Related: Guidelines on How to Work from Home
