Mindsets about remote work predict employee well-being in home office: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

Published in: Microsoft New Future of Work Conference - August 2020

Written by

Lauren Howe and Jochen Menges

Summary

What we found: We studied 113 employees adjusting to remote work due to the pandemic over the course of five weeks. Employees with a ‘fixed mindset’ about remote work (who believe it is something people are simply good at or not) reported lower levels of emotional well­-being and less productivity during remote work, com­pared to employees with a ‘growth mindset’ (who be­lieve remote work is a skill anyone can learn and improve).

Why it matters: Concerns about employee well-being and productivity during remote work came to the fore du­ring the pandemic. Our research suggests the funda­mental beliefs people have about remote work predict whether these employees will struggle or thrive.

What next: As employees transition to remote work, com­panies may want to measure mindsets to offer additio­nal support to those who are skeptical about remote work to ease their struggles. Companies may also bene­fit from sharing the message that remote work can be learned, such as sharing tips for remote work.

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