Is Hybrid Work the Best of Both Worlds? Evidence from a Field Experiment

Abstract

This paper reports causal evidence on how the extent of hybrid work---the number of days worked from home relative to days worked from the office---affects outcomes relevant for workers and firms. Collaborating with an organization in Bangladesh, we randomized the number of days that individual employees worked from the office for nine weeks. We find that an intermediate number of days in the office resulted in greater self-reported work-life balance and lower isolation from colleagues. Furthermore, hybrid work also led to a greater volume of emails, more unique email recipients, and more unique information conveyed in the emails. Hybrid work was also linked with better performance ratings from managers.

Keywords: Hybrid Work, Remote Work, Work-from-Home, Field Experiment

JEL Classification: J23, J24, O10, O33