Research Shows Working From Home Doesn’t Work. Here’s How Employers Should Tackle the Problem

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Research Shows Working From Home Doesn’t Work. Here’s How Employers Should Tackle the Problem

We followed the science on COVID-19. Now, as the end of the pandemic draws closer, it’s time to follow the science on working from home.

The verdict is clear: For many jobs—particularly collaborative, high skill level, high-value roles—working from home simply doesn’t work, and we shouldn’t confuse a temporary abnormal with a new normal.

The pandemic will not be ‘the death of the office,’ as some have suggested, but working from home also won’t become entirely a thing of the past. Many workers wouldn’t want it that way because they enjoy the freedom and flexibility it gives them. The solution for the future is a structured hybrid model, acknowledging that working from home doesn’t work long-term for most jobs, while still giving workers flexibility. One way to do that would be to allocate time slots—perhaps specific days—of in-office working for all employees to maintain workplace productivity and collaboration, while also allowing working from home to continue outside those hours.

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