Did Work From Home 'Really' Work During COVID-19?

24 Pages Posted: 18 Jun 2024

See all articles by Balagopal Gopalakrishnan

Balagopal Gopalakrishnan

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Aravind Sampath

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode

Jagriti Srivastava

Indian Institute of Management Amritsar

Date Written: June 01, 2024

Abstract

Purpose: In this study, we examine whether work from home (WFH) had an impact on firm productivity during the COVID-19 period. 

Design/methodology/approach: We employ a panel fixed-effect model using 79,201 firm-quarter observations in a cross-country setting of 68 countries. 

Findings: First, we find that firms that employed WFH contributed to real sector growth during the pandemic due to greater capital expenditure compared to otherwise. Second, we find that WFH amenable firms turned over assets better than less WFH amenable firms. 

Originality/value: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the impact of WFH on firms' investment and efficiency using a cross-country setting.

Keywords: work from home, capital expenditure, asset turnover, covid-19

JEL Classification: G01, G30, G31, G32

Suggested Citation

Gopalakrishnan, Balagopal and Sampath, Aravind and Srivastava, Jagriti, Did Work From Home 'Really' Work During COVID-19? (June 01, 2024). China Accounting & Finance Review, volume 26, issue 2, 2024 [10.1108/CAFR-09-2023-0118], Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4868834

Balagopal Gopalakrishnan

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad ( email )

D-1508 IIM Old campus
Vastrapur
Ahmedabad, 380015
India

Aravind Sampath (Contact Author)

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode ( email )

Kerala
Kunnamangalam
Kozhikode, KS Kerala 673570
India

Jagriti Srivastava

Indian Institute of Management Amritsar ( email )

Inside Government Polytechnic Campus
Polytechnic Road PO: Chheharta, G.T. Road
Amritsar, 143105
India

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