Remote work mindsets predict emotions and productivity in home office: a longitudinal study of knowledge workers during the covid-19 pandemic

Published in: Human-Computer Interaction - November 2021

Written by

Lauren Howe and Jochen Menges

Summary

What we found: We found that people’s belief about whether remote work is a skill that anyone can learn, or something unchangeable, impacts not only how people feel at work, but also their productivity during remote work. We show that people who believe that remote work is a skill (growth mindset), feel more positive emotions and are more productive than people who believe remote is something that “either you can or you can’t do”.

Why it matters: Remote work is becoming the new normal for many organizations. Offering employees with more fixed mindsets support during their transition into remote work, or providing employees with the option to choose between remote or office work might help employees to create a suitable working environment.

What next: Providing learning opportunities and encouraging employees to view remote work as a skill that can be learned and developed, organizations could help people thrive in the new world of work, by increasing not only their well-being but also performance.