Working remotely can lighten workloads and improve well-being, but not everyone benefits from it equally. For example, employees and supervisors may experience remote work differently. A longitudinal study from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s HYMY project offers new insights into how remote work affects people and under which circumstances it can support well-being. The effects of remote work were examined by statistically comparing different groups of employees over the course of a year.
The results show that remote work can bring both advantages and disadvantages. It may offer greater focus and flexibility in time management, but at the same time, a sense of community and creativity can suffer.
“According to our study, remote work can undermine trust and community because it reduces face-to-face interactions and positive social engagement among colleagues. These drawbacks tend to be similar across groups, while the benefits are distributed more unevenly,” says Janne Kaltiainen, Senior Researcher at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
Remote Work Benefits Those with Independent Tasks the Most
The advantages of remote work were most apparent among employees whose work is not dependent on others and does not directly affect the work of others. These independently working individuals experienced fewer conflicting expectations and excessive workload when working remotely.
However, for those whose work requires collaboration and information sharing, remote work did not alleviate their workload. Even within the same workplace, the effects of remote work can differ. Kaltiainen emphasizes that when deciding on the extent of remote work, individual preferences, job structure, and the community perspective should all be considered.
Supervisors Benefit Less from Remote Work than Employees
For supervisors, remote work may weaken opportunities for learning on the job, whereas this was not observed among employees. Remote work did influence how employees perceived their colleagues’ performance, but a similar positive connection was not seen for supervisors. According to researcher Sampo Suutala, the challenges of remote work can be amplified in a supervisory role, which requires a broad understanding of the team’s situation and needs.
“In remote leadership, it’s easy to miss subtle cues and informal everyday conversations. This makes it harder for supervisors to get to know their teams. It’s important that workplaces encourage employees to proactively bring up issues,” Suutala says.
Remote Work Can Enrich Fathers’ Lives in Particular
On a general level, remote work did not appear to affect the balance between work and personal life. However, this connection varied slightly between different employee groups.
For employees with children, remote work might enhance positive experiences related to the interaction between work and personal life. This effect was especially pronounced among fathers living with their children. Conversely, men who did not live with children might experience a decline in life enrichment due to remote work. No such correlation was observed among women.
How Workplaces Can Promote the Benefits of Remote Work
- Consciously Build a Sense of Community
The strength and trust of a work community are reinforced when there are opportunities for face-to-face and informal interactions. - Agree on Remote Leadership Practices Together
Supervisors don’t have to create solutions alone—these practices can be agreed upon as a team. Clear ground rules support trust, smooth operations, and commitment. - Make Community Building a Shared Responsibility
Every member of the workplace plays a role in building the community. Support can be shown through small actions, such as listening and acknowledging others in everyday situations.
About the Study
The research is based on the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s project Well-being and Community at the Heart of Multi-location Work (HYMY), which continues until September 30, 2025. A more extensive data package will be published upon its completion. The study is primarily funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund.
Data was collected in three phases during 2023–2024, involving 1,195 employees at each phase. The study examines the potential effects of remote work on areas such as occupational well-being, trust, community, interaction, creativity, and the balance between work and life.
