Remote Work, Part 1 – Impacts on Productivity & Well-Being

This is a much-debated topic with strong opinions across the board. 

Proponents of going back to the office assert that remote work (which will include Hybrid for the purpose of this article) leads to a sense of social isolation, meaninglessness, and a lack of work-life boundaries.  Such office-centric traditionalists back up their claims by referencing a number of prominent articles and studies about the dangers of remote work for mental well-being.  The Atlantic claimed that “aggravation from commuting is no match for the misery of loneliness”, and author Malcom Gladwell said there is a "core psychological truth, which is we want you to have a feeling of belonging and to feel necessary. I know it's a hassle to come into the office, but if you're just sitting in your pajamas in your bedroom, is that the work-life you want to live?" 

Certainly, some people do require a high level of social interaction, daily, to survive and this should be considered. 

Unfortunately, the trouble with such articles (and studies) stems from a sneaky misdirection whereby the gloss over the damage to well-being caused by the alternative, namely office-centric work. Also, there appears to be a trend with these proponents being CEO’s (and pretty much anyone involved in the commercial property development life cycle) who have a vested interest in filling already committed (and future prospective) office spaces.

However, for many others, it’s simply not the case.  Starting with a brief survey of 28,000 Cisco full-time employees around the globe – some 78% of respondents say remote work improved their overall well-being.  And 79% of respondents felt that working remotely improved their work-life balance.  The frustration (and expense) of long commutes to the office, sitting at your desk in an often uncomfortable and oppressive open office for eight hours, and then looking forward to the commute back home just in time for peak hour are overlooked by the above proponents.

Attempting to find some of the most reputable organizations who provide staff well-being and productivity studies led me to one by Stanford University. In the summer of 2020 Stanford discovered that remote workers were 5 percent more productive than those working in a physical office. By the spring of 2022, remote worker productivity had risen to 9 percent as businesses became more familiar with remote work practices and invested in technology to support it. This trend was also confirmed by another study utilizing employee monitoring software that found that remote workers were substantially more efficient than their in-office counterparts.

Moving away from the productivity track, which is a key pillar to a successful business, the well-being of our staff (another key pillar) is what I’d like to touch on now.  Yes, it is true, for those who work fully remote, the absence of a physical workplace can lead to feelings of isolation and decreased work-life balance. As noted briefly in the Stanford article, it is important to provide resources for maintaining physical and mental health, building strong relationships with colleagues, and finding meaning in work.  Well-being is seen not just as a benefit, but as the exercise of leadership. That's why companies need to invest heavily in training their leaders on how to create a culture of well-being within their teams. This includes tips on how to let employees take breaks, giving feedback to help them develop, and providing opportunities for growth.  Your staff must know that the communication channels are open, and it’s up to leadership to work out people’s preferences and styles of communication, to name a few.

Remote work productivity is a key to success in the modern business world. The benefits of remote work, including increased productivity, improved focus and concentration, and improved work–life balance, are too significant to be ignored. Furthermore, companies that invest in the well-being of their employees will reap the rewards in the form of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and greater engagement, regardless of whether they are working remotely, in a hybrid environment, or 100% in-office.