In a recent survey, Dutch employees who worked remotely reported higher productivity levels and reduced burnout when satisfied with their home office setups. The study further highlighted the positive correlation between improved air ventilation in the home office and increased productivity. This research was conducted by Martijn Stroom and his team at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and was published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on August 7, 2024.

Over the past few years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and technological advancements, working from home has transitioned from a rarity to the “new normal” for many employees who traditionally operate from an office setting. This shift has prompted researchers to delve into various factors that could influence job satisfaction and productivity for remote workers, including the suitability of different jobs for remote operations.

Despite the growing interest, limited research has focused on the potential impact of home office physical conditions on productivity and job satisfaction. To bridge this gap, Stroom and his colleagues surveyed 1,002 Dutch remote workers, exploring various aspects of their home office environments, their productivity levels, job satisfaction, and other related metrics. The researchers employed logistic regressions and structural equation modelling techniques to decipher the relationships among these variables.

Their findings revealed that employees who were content with their home office arrangements—including environmental aspects like temperature and noise and hardware such as office chairs and monitors—reported higher productivity and were less likely to experience professional burnout.

Moreover, the study uncovered that enhanced air ventilation within the home office was statistically associated with increased productivity, a greater inclination to continue working remotely in the future and a reduced risk of burnout. This aligns with previous studies that have established a connection between air quality and productivity in the workplace. The research also pointed out a significant discrepancy between the level of ventilation and self-reported satisfaction with indoor air quality, highlighting the limitations of relying solely on self-reported data, which has been common in much of the existing literature and policy-making.

Based on these insights, the researchers advocate for investments in home office hardware and environmental improvements, supported by objective indoor climate measurements, to enhance the effectiveness of remote work policies. Further investigations are recommended to elucidate any causal relationships among the examined factors.

The authors conclude by emphasising the critical role of the physical conditions of the home office in influencing productivity for those working from home. They suggest that varied home office conditions could lead to differing levels of willingness and success in remote work scenarios.

More information: Martijn Stroom et al, Does working from home work? That depends on the home, PLoS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306475

Journal information: PLoS ONE Provided by PLOS