--- title: Scientific interpretation - Is working remotely good for your employee’s well-being? description: Scientific interpretation - Is working remotely good for your employee’s well-being? image: https://global-watch.com/hubfs/blog-import/alejandro-escamilla-3-unsplash.jpg --- Global-Watch Blog # Scientific interpretation - Is working remotely good for your employee’s well-being? April 15, 2022   With improvements in communication technology, more employees are working remotely than ever before. Organizations can benefit from remote e-working arrangements due to reduced overheard, travel and relocation expenses but how does working remotely impact employee well-being? To answer this question, Maria Charalampous and colleagues published a study in 2018 reviewing the evidence on how remote e-working impacts the well-being of knowledge workers. ###### Legend : Recommendation of our expert ##### Expert adviser: - **MARIA CHARALAMPOUS**, lecturer in Business and Occupational Psychology, Coventry University, UK ##### Author: - **KIMBERLY SHARPE**, research Assistant, University of British Columbia *This initiative was made possible through a collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke.* ![](https://global-watch.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-import/usherbrooke-400x133.png?width=221&height=74&name=usherbrooke-400x133.png) --- ## WHAT DO WE MEAN BY: ### Remote e-working Any employee who works away from the traditional office and uses information and communication technology to connect with their workplace. This work can be conducted in a variety of locations, such as: an employee’s own home, satellite company or customer sites, hotels, airports or coffee shops. ### Well-being The authors define well-being in terms of five interrelated dimensions: affective, social, cognitive, professional and psychosomatic: | **Affective** | emotions, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, emotional exhaustion | | --- | --- | | **Social ** | social relationships at work | | **Cognitive** | trouble concentrating, difficulty taking up new information, being able/unable to switch off from work | | **Professional** | autonomy, aspiration, competence | | **Psychosomatic ** | health complaints including: headaches, stomach-aches, musculoskeletal issues | **Knowledge workers: **Employees who “think for a living” and who use more theoretical and abstract knowledge as part of their work. Knowledge workers often have a greater level of autonomy than other workers and generally engage in work with a low level of standardization. Examples of knowledge worker include programmers, lawyers, engineers and researchers. --- #### Method The authors conducted a review of research looking at the relationship between remote e-working and work-related well-being. The focus of the review was on the well-being of knowledge workers who spent at least one day working away from the office and who used information and communication technology to carry out their work. A total of 63 studies published from 1995 to 2017 were identified and included four studies from Canada, one study from France, as well as a number of studies from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Germany. Of the 63 studies, none examined all five well-being dimensions, 26 examined more than one well-being dimension and 37 examined a single dimension. ***Because studies must always be interpreted with caution **Remote e-workers who were self employed, freelancers and individuals with disabilities were excluded from the study. It is not clear if the results can be applied to these groups.* --- ## WHAT DO THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY TELL US? ### Principal Conclusions of the Study While there are both positive and negative aspects of remote e-working,** the evidence suggests that remote e-working can generally be a beneficial working arrangement**. A common theme across all dimensions was the pivotal role of a helpful and supportive organizational culture and environment for the success of remote e-working. #### Effect of remote e-working on well-being dimensions ###### Affective - Associated with positive emotions and reduced feelings of emotional exhaustion - Increased job satisfaction, especially when remote e-working was done on a part-time basis (15 hrs a week or less)   #### How can I access the full article? [ Create a free guest access ](https://cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/web-interactives/public/v1/track/redirect?encryptedPayload=...)   Already have an account? [Access the full scientific interpretation](https://global-watch.com/en/list-scientific-interpretation/is-working-remotely-good-for-your-employees-well-being) ![close-button](https://global-watch.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Global%20Watch%20Website%20Theme/images/module-icons/close.svg) Nous vérifions que vous avez bien accès à ce document. 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