2026/07/05 by Colin F. Mang, Amar Anwar · 1 voice
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Cyberloafing and Workplace Behavior #Facilities and Workplace Management #Work-Family Balance Challenges
paper · doi:10.1177/00197939261456260
openalex publication_date 2026/07/05 · openalex created_date 2026/07/07 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
This meta-analysis employs 3,574 estimates from 82 studies to assess how working from home (WFH) affected employee productivity before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors find a small but positive average effect, driven by gains in hourly productivity and increased hours worked. Pre-pandemic, benefits were concentrated among hybrid workers, while during the pandemic, both hybrid and remote workers benefited. The effect varies by sex, parental status, and global region. The authors detect publication bias in both pre-pandemic studies and those employing data from the pandemic. Using Bayesian model averaging, they correct for publication bias, heterogeneity in research design, data quality, and estimation method, to produce more reliable estimates of the impact of WFH on productivity. Findings suggest WFH can modestly enhance productivity, but outcomes are context dependent. The authors identify key evidence gaps to guide future research and recommend that managers and policymakers adopt flexible, evidence-informed telework strategies.