Remote workers report higher sense of satisfaction, well-being

Return-to-office policies may backfire on employers seeking to boost engagement and retention. Researchers from the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Colorado Boulder surveyed more than 7,700 employees in remote, hybrid and onsite settings and found that fully remote workers reported the highest levels of well-being, with in-office workers reporting the lowest. Remote employees also had the highest rates of workplace connection and a lower turnover rate. The study, reported in Frontiers in Psychology, also found that women reported “significantly more positive connection” than men in all work environments. “Remote work promotes inclusion,” the study notes, “and is seen as a way to expand opportunities and decrease discrimination for disabled workers, workers of color, women, caregivers and people in the LGBTQ+ community.”