Hybrid work boosts job satisfaction without hurting productivity – study

BEIJING, CHINA — A groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature provides compelling evidence that hybrid work arrangements offer significant benefits for both employees and businesses without any major downsides. 

The study, led by Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, involved over 1,600 employees at Chinese travel giant Trip.com. 

Participants were randomly assigned to either a traditional five-day office schedule or a hybrid model with three office days and two work-from-home days per week. 

Their performance, job satisfaction, and retention rates were then closely monitored over a two-year period.

Employees and businesses benefit from hybrid work

Employees on the hybrid schedule reported substantially higher job satisfaction levels compared to their office-bound counterparts. Even more notably, their resignation rates plummeted by a remarkable 33%.

“The reduction in quit rates was significant for non-managers, female employees and those with long commutes,” the study noted.

“Hybrid working also offers large gains for society by providing a valuable amenity (perk) to employees, reducing commuting and easing child-care.”

The study also found no discernible difference in productivity or career advancement between the two groups. 

“We found no evidence for a difference in promotions over the next two years overall, or for any major employee subgroup… These results indicate that a hybrid schedule with two days a week working from home does not damage performance.”

Moreover, the study highlights the economic benefits of hybrid work, suggesting that it can enhance companies’ profitability by lowering turnover costs, which are often estimated at about 50% of an individual’s annual salary.

Hybrid work wins over remote among Americans

For the first time since the pandemic, Americans now prefer hybrid over fully remote work arrangements. 

According to a Morning Consult survey of 6,625 U.S. adults, including 3,389 employed individuals, 29% said they preferred a hybrid model in 2024, up from 25% the previous year. 

Meanwhile, the percentage favoring full remote work dropped from 27% to 23%.

Moreover, Moody’s Analytics and Public First found hybrid work also boosts women’s workforce return in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.