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By Carine Harb
Associate Editor, My Turn
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Remote work has transformed the modern workplace by offering flexibility and reducing commute times for employees.
While evidence suggests it has generally resulted in higher productivity, some studies indicate that working from home can have a negative impact on one's motivation and creativity.
Employers like Amazon, Disney, and JPMorgan have called their employees back to the office, citing a need for in-person creativity, better opportunities, and stronger workplace culture.
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These companies argue that certain tasks, especially those requiring teamwork or brainstorming, are better suited for face-to-face interactions.
This raises the question: Will employees easily adapt to a shift from remote work to hybrid or full-time office schedules, and do they believe that remote working is more efficient than being in the office five days a week?
Newsweek reached out to experts, asking whether remote work boosts productivity or hinders efficiency.
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Dr. Benjamin B. Dunford: Remote Working Heightens Risk of Miscommunication
Remote work presents both advantages and challenges for productivity and efficiency.
While its benefits are well-documented and won't be repeated here, one of the most significant drawbacks I've observed as a management consultant lies in dysfunctional team dynamics.
Without regular in-person interactions, two key pitfalls tend to arise: Team members are less likely to voice concerns or confront inevitable grievances, which, if left unresolved, can fester and undermine teamwork.
There is a heightened risk of miscommunication and misunderstanding since much of the communication occurs via low bandwidth emails, chats, and texts rather than face-to-face.
These issues often lead to unresolved conflicts and misaligned expectations, hindering the team's ability to engage in healthy, productive discussions and effectively navigate disagreements.
In summary, remote teams are more prone to preventable but unproductive conflicts.
Benjamin B. Dunford, Ph.D., Professor of Management, Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business.
Dr. Brad Alge: Little Evidence Suggests Moving Back to Office Will Increase Productivity
Every situation is unique, but in general, there is little evidence that moving back to the office will increase productivity.
A 2024 meta-analysis by Gajendran and colleagues in Personnel Psychology, involving 108 studies and over 45,000 participants found that remote work intensity—or how extensive one works remotely—was associated with higher job satisfaction and commitment to one's organization.
Employees enjoy the flexibility remote work offers. Moreover, turnover intentions were lower and supervisor ratings of performance higher.
In contrast to popular beliefs that return-to-office policies will enhance organizational outcomes, these studies collectively show the opposite, with remote work providing beneficial, not harmful, effects on employees and their organizations.
It appears that autonomy and isolation are the main psychological drivers of remote work benefits and costs.
Brad Alge, Associate Professor of Business, Purdue University's Daniels School of Business.
Dr. Mark Bolino: Remote Work May Contribute to Loneliness
The available evidence seems to suggest that, on the one hand, remote working saves time for employees—e.g., in terms of commuting—and can make it easier for employees to balance work and life. For many, it can also mean that there are fewer distractions while working. In this way, remote work can enhance productivity.
On the other hand, when there is a lot of coordination and knowledge sharing among employees, being near your coworkers can be incredibly valuable.
Many of the companies mentioned also talk about how remote work is affecting the workplace culture, and it can be harder to find friendship, advice, coaching, and mentoring when you aren't working alongside your colleagues.
I also worry that remote work is contributing to loneliness in our country.
But there may be ways to design and manage remote work—e.g., scheduling office days so everyone is there and making the most of employees' time together—that can help balance the pluses and minuses of remote work.
Mark Bolino, Professor of Management, The University of Oklahoma.
Dr. John R. Hollenbeck: Structured Hybrid Schedules May Be Way Forward
Although the battles pitting employers versus employees on the topic of remote work are sometimes perceived as heated in popular press reports, for most employers, this debate has simmered down considerably.
Today, formal and informal negotiations between employees and employers have resulted in relatively stable and uncontroversial accommodations on both sides, marked by many shades of grey instead of black and white.
The term "structured hybrid schedules" has been coined to describe common arrangements where employees are expected to work at the office roughly two or three days a week, and at home roughly two or three days a week.
"Structured" means that the arrangements are formally specified in a manner that when people are at work, they are there to "collaborate" together, thus deriving the benefits of face-to-face interaction.
When people are remote, the expectation is that they can "concentrate" on their own unique tasks, while deriving the benefits of reduced commuting and work/life balance.
John R. Hollenbeck, Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor, Eli Broad University Professor, Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Programs, Michigan State University, Eli Broad Graduate School of Business.
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