Remote Workers Report Highest Well-Being in Study of 7,700 Employees

As the recent global pandemic receded, and the pressing requirement for large-scale remote work began to pass, a different narrative started to take hold.

It held that remote work was less effective than office-based work, impedes collaboration, and leaves remote employees with greater isolation and poorer mental health.

But perhaps the direction of that argument has been reversed.

A new study in Frontiers in Psychology examined survey responses from more than 7,700 staff at a major healthcare organisation in the south-western US.

Drawing on responses from remote employees, on-site staff, and those in hybrid jobs, the research indicates that working from home is associated with better well-being. It may also be connected to employees remaining with their employer for longer.

At a time when workplaces are being pushed to bring staff back to the office - and some have called home working a "COVID-era privilege" - the findings make a persuasive argument for holding the line.

The findings indicate that working from home is associated with greater well-being. (MStudioImages/Canva)

"This suggests you let people work remotely if they want to work remotely," says organisational psychologist and study co-author Stefanie Johnson of the University of Colorado Boulder.

"Taking away people's choice of how they work is probably not going to help them in terms of their well-being."

How the remote work study measured well-being

The 2023 surveys asked employees a range of questions intended to assess their overall view of well-being at work.

Participants also described their workplace culture using three to five words. The researchers then scored individual terms that conveyed a positive relationship with the workplace. Words such as inclusion, unity, care, and collaboration, for instance, suggested a positive connection.

Remote workers reported the highest well-being

Overall, remote employees recorded the greatest well-being, with an average score of 4.22 on a five-point scale. This was higher than the score for hybrid staff (4.12) and on-site workers (3.89).

The outcome was unexpected, since hybrid staff might have been anticipated to report the best well-being by gaining the advantages of both arrangements.

"I actually thought you would be happiest if you were part-time out of the office," Johnson says. "Then every once in a while you get to see people, get that human connection."

Results for positive workplace connection pointed in a similar direction. Remote employees suggested a more positive workplace connection (0.61) than hybrid staff (0.58) and on-site workers (0.55). However, the researchers stress that, considering the sample size, this finding was not statistically significant.

Even so, they say it counters the notion that remote work alone stops people communicating effectively.

"Remote employees in our sample mentioned perceived positive connection at a slightly greater rate than their hybrid and onsite peers, which may suggest that remote work is not necessarily associated with lower levels of workplace cohesion and collaboration," the study authors write.

"These findings may point toward a more nuanced understanding of work environment and connection – one that may be shaped by intentional communication practices, rather than mere proximity."

Employee turnover and working from home

Staff turnover followed a comparable trend. Organisational records showed that fewer remote employees (7.8 percent of remote workers) had departed one year later, compared with 8.3 percent of hybrid workers and 8.8 percent of on-site employees.

Related: People Who Work Remotely Are Happier And More Productive, Study Finds

Although the magnitude of that difference was not deemed statistically significant, an associated result was: greater well-being in employees' survey responses was linked to lower turnover.

Naturally, these results will not settle the debate between working from home and working in an office.

Still, the researchers hope the evidence will inform the discussion, as some organisations clearly show another side to the issue - one offering a considerably more positive view of working from home.

"The implications of this research are especially salient as organizations navigate continued ambiguity in remote work policy," the authors explain.

"At a time when many organizations are actively debating whether to mandate a return to the office, these findings offer timely and evidence-based insights that challenge prevailing assumptions."

The findings appear in Frontiers in Psychology.

This article was fact-checked by Rachel Garner and edited by Rebecca Dyer. Although we take pride in our process, we are only human. If you notice an error, please let us know.