GoKawiilFor years, many employers have worried that work-from-home arrangements leave employees isolated, disconnected from coworkers and more likely to leave their jobs.
But according to a new study, remote workers are doing better than many employers realize.
Researchers analyzed survey data from 7,704 employees at a large healthcare organization. One pattern stood out: Employees who worked fully remotely reported the highest levels of well-being, while those who worked entirely onsite reported the lowest. The study also found little evidence that remote workers felt less connected to colleagues or workplace culture.
"This suggests you let people work remotely if they want to work remotely," said Stefanie Johnson, professor of organizational leadership and information analytics at the Leeds School of Business and co-author of the study, published in July 2026 in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. "Taking away people's choice of how they work is probably not going to help them in terms of their well-being."
Stefanie Johnson
As companies continue to debate remote work, many leaders worry that employees need to be in the office to stay connected, work well together and remain committed to their organization. Johnson said the research doesn't always support those concerns.
"The data from our study and others suggest remote and hybrid work result in better outcomes than return-to-office mandates," she said. "Leaders are not making decisions based on data. I think they are just returning to what they are used to."
Rethinking remote work
Johnson, who co-authored the study with Alyssa Lezcano, Stephanie Zajac and Courtney Holladay of the MD Anderson Leadership Institute in Houston, said the results surprised her. She thought employees who split their time between home and the office might have the best of both worlds.
"I actually thought you would be happiest if you were part time out of the office," she said. "Then every once in a while you get to see people, get that human connection."
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