How Remote Work Benefits Employee Wellbeing: What The Remote Work Statistics Really Say

By Your Health Magazine Contributor

Your Health Magazine Contributor

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How Remote Work Benefits Employee Wellbeing: What The Remote Work Statistics Really Say

Want a happier, healthier and less stressed team?

Every employer desires enthusiastic employees that work hard and stay motivated for years to come. After all, a healthy workforce means:

• Better work
• Fewer people quitting

Here’s the problem:

Many managers still believe that productive work can only happen in the office. Remote work statistics from this year prove otherwise.

Where people work shapes how people feel.

Learn exactly how working remotely improves employee wellness, what the research shows, and how to make the most of it.

Time to jump in!

Inside this guide:

• What Do The Latest Remote Work Statistics Say?
• 4 Ways Remote Work Can Support Employee Wellbeing
• The Downsides You Need To Watch Out For
• How To Make Remote Work Work For Everyone

What Do The Latest Remote Work Statistics Say?

Remote work isn’t a pandemic fad anymore. It’s here to stay.

In America, 52% of remote-capable employees work under a hybrid schedule. That figure has changed little since 2022. Meanwhile in the UK, over a quarter of workers were hybrid working in 2024.

It’s fascinating to see what’s going on across the pond. Many employers are advocating for more office days, but employees are seriously fighting back. To understand how hybrid and remote behaviors have changed nationwide, take a look at these remote work statistics from the UK over on Work Life.

But here’s the thing…

Remote work only becomes significant if it’s healthy for people. Is it?

Short answer: Yes.

4x Ways Remote Work Boosts Employee Wellbeing

Remote work contributes to wellbeing in more ways than many realize. Here are four of the biggest.

1. Less Stress, Better Mental Health

Stress is the big one.

FlexJobs reports that 50% of US workers feel that working remotely full-time has the greatest positive effect on their mental health. By comparison, only 8% felt that working in person did the most for their mental health.

That’s a huge gap.

Why does it happen? Consider the small stressors that accumulate during an office job. Your loud desk neighbor. Hurrying out the door. Frantically making childcare arrangements or grabbing the dog.

On their own, they seem small… But they add up fast.

When you eliminate those stressors people have more energy for whats important. And that energy is reflected in how they feel daily.

2. Time Back In The Day

The daily commute is a silent wellbeing killer.

Daily gridlock and crowded train rides grind people down. Commuting cuts into sleep, family time and exercise. Remote work returns all of that time.

So what do people do with it?

• Get more sleep
• Fit in a workout
• Cook proper meals
• Spend time with family

That’s a win-win-win.

It really is that simple. Less time travelling means more time living.

3. More Control Over The Workday

Here’s something most managers miss…

Employees like having autonomy over their day. Being able to decide when they take breaks, where they sit down and how they organize their space.

Research conducted at CU Boulder analyzed 7,704 healthcare employees. Results may surprise you. Remote workers experienced the highest wellbeing. Onsite workers experienced the lowest wellbeing.

And the best part?

Remote employees were no more likely to feel isolated or disconnected from their coworkers. Remote workers were even a little bit more likely to use words associated with teamwork when asked to describe company culture.

Pretty cool, right?

4. Higher Engagement (And Fewer Resignations)

Happy people do better work. It’s as simple as that.

Gallup discovered that 37% of fully remote employees are engaged with their job. That’s higher than the 28% of on-site workers who can’t work remotely. When it came to “thriving” at life, hybrid employees were again in the lead at 54%.

Engaged employees stick around.

CU Boulder researchers followed up on turnover one year later. Higher wellbeing predicted people were less likely to have left. Remote work was associated with higher wellbeing, and higher wellbeing was associated with lower turnover.

For any business, that means less money spent on hiring and training new staff.

The Downsides You Need To Watch Out For

Remote work is not without its hazards. Fail fast by disregarding the dangers and sabotaging all the good things.Remote work can do for you.

Here’s what to keep an eye on:

• Blurry boundaries: When your office is your kitchen table, it can be difficult to leave work behind at the end of the day.
• Loneliness for new starters: Remote working only really works when everyone already knows each other.
• Always-on culture: Late-night messages and weekend emails can creep in without anyone noticing.

The good news?

All these issues can be solved by practicing a few easy habits. It just requires some forethought.

How To Make Remote Work Work For Everyone

As a manager or business owner, you have more control than you realize. Small shifts can have an enormous impact on how connected your remote team feels.

Involve employees in creating their hybrid policy from the start. Employees will feel that a policy is much more fair if they have had input into creating it. Draconian mandates from above don’t go over too well.

Then assign start and stop times. Encourage employees to log off and shut notifications off after hours. Healthy teams require actual rest time.

Consider new hires. Remote life is great once you know people, so allow new employees to meet face-to-face early. Spending a couple days in person during the first month can help.

Other quick wins include:

• Regular one-to-one check-ins
• A budget for a proper desk and chair
• Team meetups every few months
• Wellbeing support that works from anywhere

(Notice a theme here? Keep it simple.)

Finally, prioritize wellbeing over geography. It doesn’t matter where your employees are working from if they don’t feel supported while they’re working there.

The Bottom Line On Remote Work And Wellbeing

Working remotely is more than a perk. Research suggests that remote and hybrid work can be associated with higher engagement and wellbeing for many employees, particularly when flexibility is supported effectively. Remote work offers:

• Stress — fewer daily hassles and more energy for what matters.
• Time — no commute means more sleep, exercise and family time.
• Engagement — people who feel good do better work and stay longer.

To quickly recap:

• Remote and hybrid work are here to stay
• Remote workers report lower stress and better mental health
• More control over the day leads to higher wellbeing
• Engaged, healthy employees are less likely to quit
• Clear boundaries and good support stop the downsides

Remote work stats don’t lie. Provide flexibility, support it with proper tools, and your team will flourish.