Working from home has been increasingly common, particularly with the outbreak of COVID-19. Is it true, however, that work from home boosts productivity?

The perception that working from home boosts productivity is one of the most intriguing justifications for enabling employees to work from home. In other words, employees will be able to do more during the day.

Wondering if working from home boosts productivity? And, if that’s the case, how can we be certain?

What We Know About Productivity and Working from Home

Currently, 4.3 million people (or 3.2 percent of the total) work at least half of the time from home, and this number is expected to rise in the future years. There are a variety of reasons for this, including improved technology that allows a growing proportion of jobs to be done remotely, and employees asking for work-from-home rights to save commuting (and get more flexibility for their personal responsibilities).

Because working from home is still a new idea for many firms, there aren’t many extensive scientific studies that can conclusively say if working from home makes employees more productive.

However, there are a few tiny studies and a lot of anecdotal data.

Stanford University’s Research

A Stanford University investigation that aimed to evaluate if 16,000 Chinese contact centre employees were more productive when working from home is one of the most widely quoted studies. Employees who worked from home improved their performance by 13% on average.

Working more minutes each shift (including shorter breaks and sick days) accounted for 9% of the increase, while making more calls per minute accounted for 4%. Employees were given the option of working from home or in the office after the study ended, and nearly half of them chose the latter; some people who worked from home missed the office, while some office workers genuinely wanted to work from home. The performance boost was nearly doubled to 22% with this adjustment.

This shows that at least some of the gain in performance is due to personal choice; while working from home may enhance productivity objectively, finding a work environment that individuals actively love is just as significant. Furthermore, working from home decreases staff attrition by 50%, and employee happiness is often better while working from home, according to this study.

Overall, we can conclude that working from home increases productivity by a considerable amount, where productivity is defined as time spent working and effectiveness within that time.

Of course, there are several flaws with this study, such as the fact that it only tracked productivity for a few months. It’s unclear if years of working from home result in a constant increase in productivity. It also concentrates solely on a single sort of employee (call centre workers) from a single country, China. There might be hidden elements at work here that are causing the rise in productivity. 

So, it Appears That Working from Home Increases Productivity—But why?

Working from home appears to enhance productivity, based on the minimal evidence available, but why is this? Working from home may enhance productivity for a variety of reasons:

Efforts that go above and above are rewarded

One plausible explanation is that when individuals start working from home, they make a conscious effort to work harder and longer than they would otherwise. This is due to a number of factors.

For starters, they may regard working from home as a luxury; as a result, they want to show their supervisors that it increases their productivity. They’ll be more likely to preserve the privilege this way.

Second, firms who enable workers to work from home generally have a digital system in place to measure productivity. Employees are more likely to be on their best behaviour if they know they’re being watched; think of it as a manifestation of the Hawthorne Effect. This effect was called after a 1958 research that claimed that greater illumination boosted employee productivity, but in actuality, employee productivity rose because employees were aware that they were being monitored.

The need to commute is no longer necessary

In the United States, the typical commute is 25 minutes each way, or about an hour round trip. In most circumstances, working from home removes the need for a commute. If you’re like most employees, you consider your commute to be an important part of your job, so your 8-hour shift seems like a 9-hour shift. Employees feel like they have an hour of more free time when this is removed, along with the stress and disappointments that come with it.

There is less stress

When you’re at home, most individuals feel less anxious, especially if you have a closed, dedicated office where you can work in solitude. Your house is a pleasant place to be. You can get precisely what you want when it comes to furnishings. You are free to wear anything you choose. You may avoid the inconvenient traffic of your regular commute. It’s no surprise that distant employees are less stressed, and lower stress levels are linked to increased production. See our post on 21 stress management strategies for more ways to reduce tension quickly!

Employees are given influence over the environment

Employees who work from home have a great deal of influence over their surroundings. Diverse people have different tastes when it comes to their surroundings. Some people enjoy a cool office, while others prefer a warmer one. Some individuals like bright lighting because they can see and read better, while others enjoy the calm that a dim setting provides. You won’t have to fight your employees for control of the thermostat at home, and you won’t have to beg for softer lighting. You have complete control over everything, and you may experiment to discover the optimum settings for you.

There are less distractions

What is your primary source of work-related distraction? Is it your phone or incoming email alerts that are causing the problem? If you’re like 61 percent of the workforce, your co-workers are the most distracting factor at work. You may also be bothered by co-workers who seek for your opinion and attention on a regular basis during the day. You can avoid, or at least reduce, these distractions when you work from home. Co-workers and bosses can still ping you, but you’ll have greater control over how and when you get notifications, as well as how you respond to them.

It is possible to improve communication

In most circumstances, working from home forces people to communicate more efficiently. Instead of yelling a question across the hall or holding frequent in-person meetings, you’ll have to think about what you want to say and rely more heavily on written means of communication like email and instant messaging. This cuts down on the amount of time it takes to hold a comprehensive conversation while also enhancing the recording of messages between employees. 

How to Assess Work-from-Home Employee Productivity?

If you’re considering working from home more regularly or allowing some of your team members to work from home, you can’t just assume that working from home boosts productivity (even if all the working from home productivity statistics seem to suggest it). It’s critical to have a mechanism to track your and your employees’ productivity so you can observe how the most recent adjustment has affected them. You can accomplish this using a variety of tools, including task management and project management software if you have them.

Tips for maintaining health during Work from home:

Working from home has many benefits, but it also has many physical, mental, and social disadvantages. However, remote working’s psychological and social concerns, such as loneliness and blurring work-life boundaries, must be addressed.

Below, we’ll look at ways to stay healthy when working from home:

Maintain a balanced diet- A healthy diet is one that includes nutritious foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Eggs, beans, nuts, fish, poultry, and lean meat are also recommended, as are items heavy in sugar and salt. Foods heavy in saturated fat, such as fatty cuts of red meat, and trans-fat, such as processed foods, are also limited in a healthy diet. It is recommended that no meals, including breakfast, be skipped. When there are minimal distractions at home, people may be more aware of hunger than they would be at work. To avoid nibbling on chips, these people might keep nutritious snacks on hand, such as fruits.

Keep yourself hydrated- Drinking adequate water is critical for avoiding dehydration, which can cause constipation and mood changes. It also aids in keeping your energy levels consistent throughout the day. The ideal liquid to consume is water, but modest amounts of coffee and tea are also good. Sugary beverages, such as sodas, energy drinks, and fruit drinks, should be avoided.

Exercise on a regular basis is recommended- Physical and psychological advantages can be obtained via exercise. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), because of these good consequences, a person may wish to consider substituting working exercise for commuting time. A person may, for example, go for a brisk stroll in their neighbourhood or workout with a fitness DVD or smartphone app. The DHS recommends introducing physical activity throughout the workweek in addition to exercise programmes. People can accomplish this by pacing during phone conversations or setting calendar reminders to do a few push-ups near their workstation at regular intervals. When feasible, people should use a standing workstation rather than a sitting desk to avoid excessive periods of inactivity. 

Set up your home office for maximum comfort and posture- Back discomfort may be avoided by setting up a home office in a way that encourages proper posture. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the ideal office chair has armrests and a seat height that allows the feet to rest flat on the floor. The hips and knees of a person should be at or slightly over a 90-degree angle. A computer display should be placed at least an arm’s length away from your eyes, with the top of the monitor at or below eye level. Eye strain can be reduced by increasing the text size as needed.

Strive for a work-life balance- When people work from home, the barriers between business and personal life might get blurred. As a result, it’s beneficial to establish space boundaries, such as having a separate workplace with its own door if feasible. People should set time limits in the form of a daily work plan, according to the American Health Information Management Association. According to them, this should include a 15-minute lunch break, a 15-minute morning break, and a 15-minute afternoon break. People might enhance the divide between work and home life by striving to forget about work after office hours. Some studies believe that psychologically separating from work and focusing on relaxing at the end of the day is critical.

Mindfulness is a great way to reduce stress- Mindfulness can assist with the stress of working from home. This technique entails paying attention to what is happening right now. In other words, someone who practices mindfulness observes an event without passing judgement on it. According to the authors, practicing mindfulness can help people become more objective. It may allow a person to just observe bad thoughts and sensations rather of becoming engrossed in them.

Summing Up!

Consuming a balanced diet and exercising frequently are two health advice for working from home. These are essential no matter where one works. Working remotely, on the other hand, may provide extra obstacles not encountered in a regular office situation. To address these issues and enhance one’s mental and emotional health, one might take a variety of steps.