Not everybody has the same experience of working from home so firms need to manage people better

A new meta-analysis published in the Journal of Occupational Health suggests that a one size fits all approach to working from home is best avoided, as the outcomes for people in terms of their productivity and wellbeing can vary enormously. The research, led by Charlotte Hall of Kings College London and the UK Health Security Agency, advises that employers should retain flexibility but be aware of the complex impact of remote work on different people.

The review of 1,930 papers from four databases concludes that people working from home may benefit from reduced stress levels, lower blood pressure and a better diet, but may also snack, drink and smoke more and put on weight. Although the report found that people working from home are more likely to eat more fruit and vegetables and prepare more meals, up to a half had put on weight. Home workers were found to be more sedentary, on the whole.

The report also found that people felt they were more productive and better able to have ideas at home, but were worried about how they were perceived by colleagues and managers and what impact being away from the office might have on their careers.

Outcomes were also determined by people’s income levels and personal circumstances. Those on higher incomes tend to say they enjoy working from home more. They also tend to have more space, better home working setups, more control over what they do and fewer responsibilities such as childcare, administration or housework. Often the burden of such task fell disproportionately on women and people living alone.

The report makes a number recommendations for the future of working from home. These include:

• Employers should ensure that staff have the right equipment and training to work safely and comfortably from home
• All employees should view home working just as they would office working and take regular breaks, taking leave, including sickness leave when required, and avoiding extensive sedentary behaviour
• Staff asked to WFH should be provided with adequate resources and guidance about how to maintain their mental health and psychological resilience
• Line managers and employers should be proactive in encouraging and providing time for team and organization social activities as a non-mandatory activity
• After a prolonged period of working from home, employers and line managers should explore the feasibility of WFH for individual workers and their circumstances
• Managers should recognise the differences between working from home and office working and take account of this when role planning with their staff

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