Remote work doesn’t affect productivity, according to Fed study

By Laura Curtis
Published 2 Min Read

Two people work on laptops across from one another, as pictured from above.
Bloomberg

U.S. industries that are more adaptable to remote work haven’t seen a bigger boost — or decline — in productivity growth since 2020 compared to industries with more in-person work, according to new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

While the shift toward remote work arrangements has reshaped society in ways that will continue to evolve, there is “little evidence in industry data that the shift to remote and hybrid work has either substantially held back or boosted the rate of productivity growth,” San Francisco Fed economists led by John Fernald said in a study published Tuesday on the bank’s website.

Laura Curtis

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