Working from home is here to stay, according to recent surveys

Employers are more positive about WFM, and employees are happier and more productive.

Working from home makes employees healthier and happier — and even more productive — according to recent research carried out for the International Workplace Group (IWG).

The survey carried out by Mortar Research, found that WFH (or hybrid working) hugely benefits workers’ wellbeing, including improved sleep, diet, and reduced stress (78%). Additionally, 79% said they felt less drained and 72% said they felt less anxiety.

In fact, three-quarters said that returning to office-based working five days a week would damage their wellbeing. And 86% said the increased free time enjoyed by avoiding the commute improved their work-life balance.

Most importantly, around three-quarters said they were more motivated and productive due to WFH and 85% reported improved job satisfaction.

It is perhaps no surprise that employees and contractors prefer working from home, but performance data also shows that industry values the practice as well.

Productivity improvements tally with the IWG survey — 77% of remote workers showed increased productivity, with 54% either doing more work in less time or more work in the same time, according to a survey by ConnectSolutions.

It’s not about Covid

In the UK, close to 5m employees and contractors worked from home before Covid struck (as I have done throughout my entire career). Surveys have consistently shown increased productivity when WFH, especially in creative roles.

When Covid hit, almost everyone was WFH (or furloughed) and that has persisted, despite efforts from some interested parties in government to drive workers back into the office. Hybrid working now seems to be the norm.

So much so, that business even plans to expand WFH as a permanent business model. According to the Office of National Statistics, the improvements identified by industry in the UK include:

- Improved staff wellbeing (79.9%)
- Reduced overheads (49.1%)
- Increased productivity (48.3%)
- Ability to recruit from a wider pool (34.7%)
- Reduced sickness levels (27.3%)
- Ability to better match jobs with skills (17.4%)

Since Covid, more than 46% of all staff are now WFH at least some of the time and that number is increasing (ONS). That was fewer than 5% before Covid, which is still a considerable number.

Dr Jen Rhymer, an expert at University College London, said IWG’s findings were unsurprising. “Numerous studies have demonstrated that remote and hybrid work is as or more productive than fully in-office work,” she said.

It is often argued — usually by those with vested interests — that WFH damages economic infrastructure (everything from rail fares to revenues in sandwich shops). But it seems to me that is a natural consequence of the digital economy and, rather like the impact of AI or even the internet itself, commerce will have to adjust.

Either way, the jury is in. WFH has proven to be an outstanding success in terms of increased productivity and a happier, healthier workforce.

Colin Shanley has been a writer and author for more than 30 years. You can follow his Medium.com articles here, or view his published works on Amazon.