Great Minds for Business – Written evidence (HBW0086)
Introduction to the Author
I am an organisational psychologist, researcher, career coach, and generally inquisitive. I decided to respond to this call for evidence because, as someone who has worked remotely for over five years and is a researcher, I am always fascinated by how people respond to different workplace phenomena.
As the popularisation of hybrid and remote working occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, it was important for me to understand the literature and find out how people feel about it, now, five years on.
Executive Summary
The surge in remote work catalysed by the pandemic has unveiled significant advantages and challenges in work-life balance, productivity, and employee well-being. Prior research suggests that remote work can enhance productivity, reduce burnout, and increase job satisfaction. However, disparities exist in access to hybrid work, impacting marginalised groups differently. The survey of 111 participants revealed themes of autonomy and flexibility as benefits, while challenges like social isolation and inadequate home office setups affecting productivity were highlighted. Overall, the findings point toward a favourable view of hybrid working, accompanied by the need for structured support and equitable policies in the workplace.
Key Insights
- Remote and hybrid work can enhance productivity and decrease burnout, especially when inclusively managed.
- Participants reported mixed experiences of social isolation and disconnection while working remotely, indicating the need for enhanced team engagement strategies.
- Effective work setup, including technology and a conducive work environment, significantly impacted productivity levels for remote workers.
- Implementing equitable hybrid working policies can improve employee retention and job satisfaction, particularly among women and those with family responsibilities.
- The majority felt that hybrid models balance flexibility and the opportunity for in-person collaboration, improving work-life balance and reducing commuting time.
- Most respondents reported higher productivity when working from home due to reduced distractions, though some also faced challenges like household interruptions and a sense of isolation.
- Barriers included inadequate home office setups, technology issues, and feelings of loneliness, which hindered productivity and overall well-being.
- Organisations should implement structured onboarding, promote boundaries to prevent burnout, invest in digital infrastructure, and involve employees in designing hybrid work policies to enhance trust and effectiveness.
Introduction
The concept of work-life balance was not created by ‘those who hate what they do’; it has been around since the manufacturing laws of the 1800s during the Industrial Revolution. During the manufacturing of Henry Ford’s Model T, he introduced the 9-5 workday in the 1920s, and then in the 1930s, Kellogg’s reduced working hours to four six-hour shifts.
Many employees and business owners have been working from home for years, it’s nothing new. Working from home has become more accessible since dial-up internet started. However, as we all know, this has been made more commonplace since the global COVID-19 pandemic, with many organisations implementing social distancing and safety measures and heeding many government calls to work from home. According to Finder.com, before the COVID-19 lockdowns, 1.54 million people worked from home for their main job; in comparison, 10 years ago, that figure was 884,000 in the UK. According to Finder.com, around 60% of the UK population worked from home during the first lockdown in 2020. 26% of people planned to continue working from home permanently or occasionally after lockdown.
Background to hybrid working
Some may think hybrid working came explicitly from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. However, teleworking came about decades earlier, around the 1970s. Niles (1975) introduced the concept of telecommuting. He defined it as the “arrangement between employer and employee that allows work to be performed outside of the usual place of work regularly, by harnessing ICT. Over time the term telecommuting became telework. The uptake of telework became more accessible when internet connectivity improved in the 1990s. Home working wasn’t necessarily widespread until the pandemic for some people.
What does the research say?
Several research papers highlight that working remotely can increase both productivity and decrease burnout in some cases. A research study by Catalyst surveyed 7,487 people in September 2020 from 14 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada France China, UK, Singapore, Sweden and the US) The survey found that remote working can be a good thing if it is done inclusively. Those who had access to remote working during COVID-19 had lower rates of burnout. This included remote options such as flexible work locations, distributed teams and the option to work from home. When these things were put in place, burnout decreased by 26%. Having remote working access increased employee wellbeing, productivity, innovation and inclusion, work engagement and organisational commitment.
Before the pandemic, working from home at least part-time was more common for some people, e.g. women. According to a previous catalyst research study, women who could work remotely with childcare responsibilities were 32% less likely to leave their jobs compared to women that didn’t have this option. The survey looked at 1,100 US adults.
Another research survey by Airtasker surveyed 1,004 full-time employers from around America about their productivity, commutes and other life aspects. Around half of those surveyed worked remotely. It was found that working from home benefited employees as it cut out their daily commutes, increased productivity, and led to healthier lifestyles. The research survey also found that employee tenure was impacted by commuting times and long commutes, which caused about a quarter of those surveyed to quit their jobs. Compared to office employees, remote workers saved about $4,523 on fuel alone and equated to around 400 hours or 17 days of free time each year.
Other research studies highlight the associated inequalities associated with working from home. Not everyone can or can work from home or in a hybrid way. Research by Bonacini, Gallo and Scicchitano (2020) explored the potential consequences on income distribution related to long-lasting WFH in Italy. Results highlighted that the increase in working from home would be associated with an increase in average labour income but this wouldn’t be evenly distributed. The increase in WFH would favour male, older, highly educated and highly paid employees. These findings also highlight that WFH risks increasing pre-existing labour market inequalities, especially if policies aren’t regulated. One aspect of working from home with respect to inequalities in the UK is access to quality broadband. A Founder survey found that 36% of those who completed the survey regularly switched to mobile data due to unreliable broadband connection.
One research study highlighted on Finder.com found that two-thirds of employees say they are more productive working from home. However, 1 in 5 remote workers say they struggle with loneliness. 75% say they are more productive due to decreased distractions. 83% of employees say they don’t need an office to be productive. Additionally, 58% of respondents would consider looking for a new job if they couldn’t work remotely.
Galanti et al (2021) conducted a cross-sectional study that analysed over 200 responses to an online questionnaire from people who were working from home during the pandemic. Work-life conflict and social isolation were negatively related to productivity and engagement when working from home. Self-leadership and autonomy were positively related to productivity and engagement when working from home. Family-work conflict and social isolation were negatively related to working from home stress.
Another research study conducted by Yang et al (2021) based in the USA looked at survey responses from over 600 people. It was found that perceived work-life balance improved over the pandemic compared to before, while work life boundaries decreased during this time. Workplace flexibility, environmental conditions of home offices and organisational support were positively related to productivity, work-from-home satisfaction and work-life balance during the pandemic.
Research by Bloom, Han and Liang (2022) researched hybrid working on over 1600 graduates in a large technology firm. Employees highly valued hybrid working and this was related to higher levels of job satisfaction and increased retention by 33%. Hybrid working increased messaging and video calls even when employees were in the office. Non-managers were more likely to work hybrid and work from home; contrastingly, managers were less likely to work from home on eligible days.
A research study conducted by George et al (2022) looked at responses from 278 people who transitioned from office work to WFH during COVID 19 pandemic. Participants found that productivity increased, stress reduced but health issues increased. Also, 56% of participants saw working from home was generally a positive. Where 20% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that working from home was a positive. Also, the intrusion of work into life was seen as a negative aspect of working from home.
A study by Dale et al (2024), researched over 400 people, 95% were from the UK, 85% worked full-time, 75% of the respondents were women. A survey was given to the participants and open-ended questions were asked and these responses were analysed using thematic analysis. The highlighted benefits include better work-life balance, more time for wellbeing activities, improved health and lower stress and anxiety, more time for family and home. The challenges that were highlighted included the inability to ‘switch off’, work extensification, isolation, loneliness and disconnection.
Research by Bloom et al (2024) conducted research by studying 1,612, participants for 6 months between 2021 and 2022. It was found that hybrid working improved job satisfaction and reduced quit rates by 1/3rd. Reduction in quit rates was significant in non-managers, women and those with long commutes within the study. Hybrid working was not seen to affect performance rates in those who were studied negatively. As some of the participants were computer programmers, hybrid working did not negatively affect the lines of code written over the duration of the research study. Initially, during the study, managers had negative views on the productivity of workers working hybrid, but this changed by the end of the study into more positive views. The results highlighted that 2 days a week working from home did not negatively affect performance.
Based on these research papers, some public opinion and business leaders have highlighted that hybrid working leads to lower productivity levels and poor work ethic. However, the evidence from this literature review highlights the opposite, with research from Finder.com, Airtasker and Catalyst. The research from those surveys highlighted a higher level of productivity, more productive remote workers and flexible and remote worker options reduced burnout.
The studies highlighted that well-managed hybrid working increases work-life balance, improves mental health and reduces stress. In research by Dale et al. (2024), even though well-being increased, challenges like isolation and the inability to switch off were noted.
Additionally, research Bloom et al (2024) found that quit rates reduced by a 1/3rd when hybrid working was embraced. This was significant amongst women and those who had long commutes. Also, the research paper by Catalyst found that employees with flexible options showed greater engagement and organisational commitment.
Another theme in the research was that access to remote work is not equal. Bonacini et al (2020) found that remote work favoured older, more educated, male and higher-paid workers. Research by Catalyst found that women with caring responsibilities were less likely to leave jobs if they can work remotely. Additionally, remote work can lead to loneliness and social isolation, the blurring of work-life boundaries and sometimes broadband access can be a barrier.
These research studies lead us to the following research questions
- What are the challenges and opportunities for hybrid working for workers and how do these vary based on protected characteristics?
- What impact does hybrid working have on mental health and productivity?
- What aspects of hybrid working get in the way and are distracting?
Methodology
Sampling: a survey questionnaire was designed mainly for demographic data and questions about work-life balance and productivity. An opportunity sampling method was used and the questionnaire was posted using social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The questionnaire was open to people from the UK who were working in roles where they had the opportunity to work hybrid or remote. The survey was sent out between March and April 2025.
Data
111 participants completed the survey and 73.6% were female, 23.5% were male.
Ethnicity
40% of the participants were Black African and 19.1% were Black Caribbean, 25% were English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish.
Age range
41.8% were between 25-34, 43.6% were between 35-44, and 7.3% were between 45-55.
Disability
70.9% of participants highlighted they had no disabilities, 7.3% were neurodivergent, 6.4% highlighted a mental health condition, including depression and anxiety, 1.8% highlighted they were neurodivergent and had a mental health condition, and 3.6% of the sample preferred not to say.
Sexual Orientation
88.2% of participants identified as being heterosexual, with 4.5% identifying as bisexual, 1.8% identifying as Lesbian. 2.7% of the participants preferred not to say about their sexual orientation.
Industry
The participants' industries varied greatly. 14.5% came from the Education and Training industry and 13.6% came from the Charity and non-profit sector. 10% came from the IT and Technology sector, as well as another 10% from Finance and insurance and another 10% from the healthcare and social work sectors. 9.1% came from the government and public sector, 5.5% came from legal services, and 5.5% came from the Recruitment and HR sectors.
Results
Work Pattern
70.9% of the participants worked full time or over 35 hours a week. 10.9% worked compressed hours, 7.3% worked part time or less than 25 hours and 5.5% were freelance workers or contractors.
Caring Responsibilities
57.3% of the sample had no caring responsibilities for children or elderly people. 36.4% cared for children and 4.5% were caring for an adult or elderly relative 1.8% were supporting a partner with a health condition.
Remote work
31.8% of the participants spent 1-2 days working remotely, 29.1% worked 3-4 days remotely and 28.2% had fully remote roles. 10% had roles where they had to go to their place of work every day and 0.9% did alternate days in the office e.g. 2 days one week and 3 days another week.
Productivity
This question was asked to understand how productive each participant felt when working remotely. 37% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement, “I am more productive when I work remotely,” and 24.5% agreed. Contrastingly, 9.1% of participants disagreed with the statement and 1.8% strongly disagreed.
Motivation
The question “I feel motivated when I work remotely” was asked and 30.9% strongly agreed with the statement and 38.2% agreed with the statement. Contrastingly, 4.5% disagreed and 2.7% strongly disagreed with this statement. This suggests that the majority
Wellbeing
This question was about whether respondents felt that hybrid or remote working had positively affected their well-being. Over half, 52.7%, strongly agreed with this statement, with 30% agreeing—that’s over 80% of people agreeing with the statement. Contrastingly, 0.9% strongly disagreed, and 4.5% disagreed with the statement.
Connection to colleagues
Another topic we wanted to explore is how much people felt they were connected to their team members whilst working remotely. 18% strongly agreed they felt connected to their colleagues when working remotely, while 42.7% agreed. Conversely, 15.5% disagreed they felt connected to colleagues, and 6.4% strongly disagreed.
Career Development
A question was asked if the sample had career development and progression opportunities in their roles. 20% strongly agreed, and 40% agreed with the statement. Conversely, 17.3% disagreed, and 2.7% strongly disagreed. This highlights that most participants felt there was currently career progression within their organisations.
Opportunities to connect with colleagues
The next question was about people's opportunities to connect with their colleagues. The question, “I have opportunities to network and connect with colleagues”, 23.8% strongly agreed and 57.1% agreed with this statement. Only 4.8% disagreed with the statement and no one strongly disagreed.
Qualitative Results
There were also a few free-text questions in this survey. One question asked “what influences your productivity when working remotely?”. The responses can be organised into the following themes: distractions such as household tasks, technology, noise, and interruptions from others. Other themes include caring responsibilities, a proper set-up to a conducive work environment, energy levels and mental wellbeing, and work-life balance.
Distractions
Distractions, including household tasks, technology, noise, and interruptions from others, were the most cited factor affecting productivity while working remotely.
“Chores around the house, phone distractions.”
“Distractions such as the doorbell, washing, stuff going on in the street, caring to-do list, constant access to the kitchen…”
“My phone, children, eating.”
Caring Responsibilities
Another theme many respondents mentioned was childcare and other caring duties as factors impacting productivity. Here are some of the examples from the participants
“Caring for my children, school pick-ups and drop-offs do affect my workflow when completing certain tasks. However, I’ve become used to it.”
Productivity & Work Environment
Some respondents highlighted the importance of having a proper work setup and a structured work environment to stay productive. The quotes below highlight that a lack of proper space and equipment can negatively impact productivity
“Working from my laptop rather than my desktop computer at work with two screens.”
“Space, set-up, not having a screen and working from a laptop, distraction around home.”
These two examples show the importance of providing workers with their own set-up, including screens and chairs, in order to be the most productive.
“I experience mental clutter. Due to the fact that I work on my desk in my bedroom, I find it difficult to focus because my room is typically a place of relaxation.”
The quotes below show that those with a decent setup have a sense of autonomy when working remotely.
“My own routine, my own desk chair, access to my own tools and resources.”
“No distractions. Perfect environment for me. Perfect lighting. No gossipers and random chats.”
Energy Levels & Mental Well-being
Many participants note how their energy levels, mental state and overall well-being impacted their productivity.
“It all depends on how I'm feeling on the day whether I'm productive in the office or at home.”
“Loneliness and my dog can make me less productive. Loneliness in the sense that it can lower mood, which negatively impacts productivity.”
These two quotes highlight how emotions can affect how productive a person feels.
Work-Life Balance
Managing personal and work responsibilities more flexibly is seen as a major advantage of remote work.
“Better work-life balance means greater productivity for me. Less commute, better sleep, don’t have to wake up as early, better eating habits, ensuring I eat breakfast and more healthy options.”
Additionally, work-life balance gives people more control over their day and gives them more energy to do and focus on work.
“I am able to chart out my day and plan all my tasks ahead. I take quick and effective lunch breaks, finishing other household chores, cooking fresh lunch and restarting work.” “Absence of commute leaves more energy and time to do the work.
Flexibility & Autonomy
While some thrive in a remote setting, others find the lack of structure challenging.
“None, being able to fit my life needs/requirements around my work ones leads to significantly more productivity and a positive outlook on work.”
“As I suffer from ADHD, distractions are limited at my own house.”
Meetings & Collaboration
Remote work changes the way people collaborate, with some finding it beneficial and others struggling with constant virtual meetings.
“Tiredness from constant screen time due to online meetings.”
“Being on calls all day.”
These quotes highlight that constant meetings can be distracting and overwhelming. However, the quotes below also show some of the benefits of working from home.
“Reduced distractions from colleagues.”
“Fewer interruptions from colleagues.”
In conclusion, people highlighted that they had mixed feelings about working from home, namely distractions such as children and other caring responsibilities or household chores would affect some people’s productivity. No access to work equipment, such as second screens and proper chairs, also makes working from home or remotely difficult. Another thing that can be hard for people is loneliness when working from home, as well as constant calls, which people highlighted as overwhelming.
Overall, the benefits of hybrid working were highlighted overwhelmingly; if work setups were implemented correctly, people feel more productive. There is also a level of autonomy over day-to-day, leading to increased productivity.
Other
Another question was, “Is there anything else you would like to add about your experience working hybrid or remotely?”
The main themes from the responses included looking at hybrid working as a preferred option and using remote working as a retention tool. Another thing that was discussed is that not every role can be completed remotely, so therefore, there is a lack of equity in remote working.
Hybrid Working as the Preferred Option
A common theme was that hybrid models offer the best of both worlds — flexibility and the opportunity for in-person connection.
"I do think hybrid-2 days in the office, 3 days at home, it’s the right balance."
"Hybrid allows for connection with colleagues... and better work-life balance, especially as no longer have commute for three of five days."
Remote Working as a Retention Enabler
Remote options enabled participants to stay in roles they may otherwise have left, supporting retention and continuity.
"Working from home has enabled me to stay in a job I otherwise would have left when moving home."
"I am hugely grateful for the opportunity to work remotely – I would never have been able to take on the job I have if it required 100% office attendance."
Disparities Between Roles
Participants in healthcare and operational roles described a disconnect between those who can work remotely and those who cannot, creating tensions.
"Unfortunately, working in a hospital/care setting creates a two-tier system... bedside roles are never able to work remotely."
"In my profession, it is hard to be remote. Construction demands an onsite presence."
Concerns About Optics and Expectations
Some individuals felt pressure to be visibly present on-site, even when remote work was feasible.
"The optics do not favour [remote working] as management, even though operationally being on-site is most effective."
Return-to-Office Pushback
Many participants voiced frustrations at perceived pressures to return to offices, often described as performative or outdated.
"There seems to be an increasing focus on returning to the office in news outlets. But I feel this is only for company optics."
"Hybrid is nice when it is for specific collaboration reasons... in my case it can be performative just to abide by policy."
Call for Improved Support and Infrastructure
Some responses stressed the need for better technical and managerial support to make remote work sustainable.
"Improvements to technical infrastructure will possibly enhance the experience."
"Supportive leadership is the pathway to a positive workplace experience.”
Conclusions and Recommendations
The quantitative results highlighted general support for working remotely or hybrid. 37% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement, “I am more productive when I work remotely,” and 24.5% agreed. Most respondents also felt more motivated when they worked remotely, 30.9% strongly agreed with the statement and 38.2% agreed.
The qualitative research questions also revealed clear themes, such as the benefits of hybrid and remote working, the ability to manage work and life, the ability to have more autonomy, and, for some, the ability to minimise distractions. Overall, many found hybrid and remote working motivating and beneficial.
The second research question, around hybrid and remote working and mental health and productivity, was answered in the survey; mostly, the respondents highlighted the ability to manage their well-being. Most respondents could also manage their wellbeing whilst working remotely, 30.9% strongly agreed with the statement and 38.2% agreed with the statement.
Regarding productivity, 37% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement, “I am more productive when I work remotely,” and 24.5% agreed. Contrastingly, 9.1% of participants disagreed with the statement and 1.8% strongly disagreed. This shows the hybrid and remote working did benefit this sample.
Some of the things that got in the way of hybrid and remote working included poor work setups at home, such as the lack of second screens and poor ergonomic support in the shape of chairs, etc. Another thing highlighted was distractions from children or other household chores or activities. Some highlighted loneliness when working remotely, busy work schedules, and too many online meetings that could be seen as distracting. Another downside was the lack of access to hybrid working for some professions, such as healthcare and retail.
To this end, the following can be seen as some recommendations from this research
1) Support Onboarding
Introduce structured onboarding programs that include:
- Buddy systems and mentoring
- Regular check-ins and development conversations
- Opportunities for informal virtual networking
- Clear progression pathways and visibility-building activities
2) Promote Boundaries and Prevent Burnout
Develop policies and practices that support:
- Right to disconnect (e.g. no-email policies after hours)
- Encourage of regular breaks
- Training for managers on recognising remote burnout
- Use of shared calendars and work-time indicators
3) Maintain Flexibility While Ensuring Fairness
- Create role-specific hybrid work frameworks based on operational needs
- Offer flexibility options (e.g. compressed hours, shift-swaps) for roles that cannot be remote
4) Invest in Digital Infrastructure and Remote Management Skills
- Invest in reliable hardware, software, and remote collaboration tools
- Provide ongoing training for managers in digital leadership
- Create a remote-friendly knowledge-sharing culture using collaborative tools
5) Involve Employees in Hybrid Policy Design
Avoid mandated returns to the office without consultation, as it reduces trust and may feel performative or punitive.
- Co-design hybrid policies with input from staff
- Review working models using pulse surveys and focus groups
- Align return-to-office expectations with clear purpose (e.g. team building, innovation)
References
- https://www.airtasker.com/blog/the-benefits-of-working-from-home/
- Bloom, N., Han, R. & Liang, J. (2024). Hybrid working from home improves retention without damaging performance. Nature 630, 920–925
- Bloom, N., Han, R and Liang, J (2023) How Hybrid Working from Home Works Out. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
- https://www.catalyst.org/insights/2021/creating-an-inclusive-hybrid-workplace-practices
- Dale, G, Wilson, HK and Tucker, M (2024) What is healthy hybrid work? Exploring employee perceptions on wellbeing and hybrid work arrangements. International Journal of Workplace Health Management
- https://www.finder.com/uk/savings-accounts/working-from-home-statistics
- Galanti, Teresa; Guidetti, Gloria; Mazzei, Elisabetta; Zappalà, Salvatore, Toscano, Ferdinando (2021). Work From Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Impact on Employees’ Remote Work Productivity, Engagement, and Stress. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 63, 7, 426-432
- George, T. J., Atwater, L. E., Maneethai, D., & Madera, J. M. (2022). Supporting the productivity and wellbeing of remote workers: Lessons from COVID-19. Organizational Dynamics, 51, 2, 100869
- Nilles, J. Telecommunications and Organizational Decentralization. IEEE Trans. Commun. 1975, 23, 1142–1147.
- Yang, E., Kim, Y. and Hong, S. (2023), "Does working from home work? Experience of working from home and the value of hybrid workplace post-COVID-19", Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 25, 1, 50-76
24 April 2025