Since the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the main questions both employees and organizations must wrestle with is how to deal with working-from-home. Both anecdotally and statistically, working from home options have had mixed results, with some organizations reporting great success and others reporting lost productivity. In one of the first long-term studies surrounding work-from-home in a post-pandemic world, researchers (Bloom et al., 2024) investigated how a hybrid work model relates to employee productivity.
THE RESEARCH STUDY
The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial with 1,612 employees at a Chinese multinational online travel site. Employees were randomly assigned to either work from the office full time, or to work from the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and have the option of working from home on Wednesday and Friday.
The researchers found that those with the hybrid option were significantly less likely to leave the company than those without the option. This was especially true for those in non-managerial positions, females, and those with long-commutes. In all categories of satisfaction (work-life balance, work satisfaction, life satisfaction, likelihood to recommend the organization to their friends), those with the hybrid schedule showed significantly better outcomes than those with the traditional working schedule.
Long-term, there were no significant differences in productivity, performance reviews, or promotion rates between those in the office full time and those with the hybrid schedule. Finally, throughout the course of the study, both employees and managers adopted more positive views on how working from home can affect productivity.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
This study shows that hybrid work can have tremendous benefits for employees, without compromising job performance or career trajectory. Organizations that want to capitalize on this research should do the following:
- Choose a hybrid schedule that works for the organization and its employees; make this option available to all employees.
- Work to improve attitudes surrounding hybrid options among managers or employees who may be initially resistant.
- Track important outcomes continuously, such as performance and promotions. This will help organizations be ready to tweak the hybrid format as issues arise.
Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J. (2024). Hybrid working from home improves retention without damaging performance. Nature, 1-6.
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