Study Found Remote Work Doesn’t Affect Productivity

According to a research team from Texas A&M University's School of Public Health, employers can strengthen employee and company resiliency by allowing employees to work remotely during natural disasters and other events that cause workplace displacement.

 

The findings

The team analysed ergonomic software data from 264 employees at a large oil and gas corporation in Houston, Texas. During the study period, the company had to shut down its premises due to flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, forcing workers to work remotely for an extended length of time.

Before, during, and after Hurricane Harvey, the researchers examined employee technology data. They discovered that, while total computer use decreased following the disaster, employees' work patterns rebounded to pre-hurricane levels after working remotely for seven months. This research implies that working from home has no negative influence on workplace productivity.

 

Maintaining productivity levels while at home

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, information workers have become increasingly accustomed to and interested in working remotely, according to the study that was published in IOS Press in February.

Mark Benden, one of the researchers and also the director of the school's Ergonomics Center, said that a larger percentage of the workforce would be engaged in office-style digital job activities in the future.

He noted that almost all of the study's personnel quickly returned to their previous output levels following Hurricane Harvey. He added that since there are debates about whether or not employees should be able to work remotely or on a hybrid schedule, this is a major message for companies right now.

This research is part of the Ergonomics Center's larger endeavour to examine the health of information workers. Despite appearing to be less physically demanding than blue-collar jobs, information professionals are susceptible to injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. 

According to Benden, the research shows that if one works in a certain way at a particular pace for a specific amount of time, they're more likely to get hurt from that work. 

However, if one works a little less or a little less frequently, or if they break up the duration, or have certain other character features such as posture, they're less likely to have a problem from doing office work.

 

Why this study is important

According to the Texas A&M researchers, this information can be utilised to promote healthy behaviours among employees, including those who work remotely, as well as to inform company policies. 

They'll also keep track of the ergonomic environment in employees' home offices. The researchers believe that tracking this type of data can assist businesses in addressing remote employee health issues such as stress and depression.

Benden explained that the question was whether they could track people and, instead of letting them stay in a bad habit or poor conduct, could they give these people a healthy nudge via the computer to tell them that it was time to take a walk or a break.

He said that humans are not very good at keeping track of time, especially when they're in the zone. 

"In order to keep from physically hurting our bodies, we need to have nudges and reminders, which people respond to, and which work really well."

 

Benden stated that taking breaks does not hinder workers' quality of work. He stated that those who took the suggested breaks were more productive in general as they got more done.

"We need to learn this about people, we need to teach people about it, and then we need to help people actually do it."

 

Source: Texas A&M Today