Don’t believe the naysayers: Hybrid remote work is improving employees’ mental health

In today’s evolving workplace, the discussion on flexible work arrangements and their impact on mental health is critical and timely. Groundbreaking research at the University of Pittsburgh, examining data across multiple U.S. states involving more than 5 million mental health screens, brings new insights into how the structure of workplace flexibility can significantly influence mental well-being. The findings underscore a pressing need for a strategic reevaluation of work environments in the post-pandemic era.

At the heart of this debate is whether remote or hybrid models contribute to or detract from employees’ mental health. While flexibility in work arrangements has been praised for allowing employees to avoid long commutes and manage work-life balance more effectively, skeptics argue that such arrangements might lead to increased feelings of isolation and blurred boundaries between work and home life.

For instance, according to a 2022 U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey of 403 executives, 64 percent said that remote work had anywhere from a major to a minor negative impact on their employees’ mental health, up from 55 percent who said that in 2021. And a survey by the American Psychiatric Association in 2021 found that the majority of employees working from home say they experienced negative mental health impacts, including isolation, loneliness, and difficulty getting away from work at the end of the day.

However, as Pitt Professor Mark Ma and graduate student Yuye Ding point out, all of that research comes from the period of enforced social isolation due to the pandemic. The loneliness and isolation identified previously with remote work likely decreased or even disappeared once people started going out and meeting again with friends and family, and engaging in various social, civic and community activities.

Moreover, prior studies relied on survey data of self-reported mental health, as opposed to professional assessments. The Pitt study instead drew on the latter, using state-level depression and suicide risk data from Mental Health America, which collects data from over 5 million mental health screens taken by U.S. users at MHAScreening.org.

For each state, Mental Health America calculates the percentage of individuals with severe depression and suicide risk. The University of Pittsburgh scholars also used data on the percentage of firms that offer workplace flexibility in each state during 2023 from the Scoop Flex Index Report.

Combining these two sources, the Pitt study reveals significant findings for 2023, a fully post-pandemic year. States with a higher percentage of flexible firms show considerably lower rates of depression. The correlation is significant and robust, telling a compelling story about greater flexibility facilitating mental wellness.

The variation among states is in some cases dramatic. Mississippi, a state where only 52 percent of employers allow either hybrid or remote work (the lowest of all 50 states) has a rate of depression about 50 percent higher than that of Massachusetts, which has the highest degree of flexibility (offered by 84 percent of all employers).

Some states that seem similar in most respects diverge in this study. For example, in South Carolina, 66 percent of all firms offer flexibility, and in North Carolina, 71 percent do so. The state with greater flexibility has a 17 percent lower rate of depression. In Ohio, 65 percent of all employers provide hybrid or remote work opportunities for employees, whereas the comparable number for Pennsylvania is 73 percent. Pennsylvania has 12 percent less depression.

The researchers also separated states into three groups — ones with high, median, and low levels of flexibility, respectively. They found that states with high or median flexibility levels had 3 percent to 4 percent lower depression rates than those with low flexibility in 2023.

Although the study establishes a clear correlation, it is important to explore the possible mechanisms through which workplace flexibility might improve mental health. Several factors likely contribute to this positive effect. One possibility is reduced stress, since flexible work arrangements help alleviate stress associated with commuting, rigid schedules and work-life imbalance. This allows employees to better manage their time, responsibilities, and personal needs, leading to reduced stress levels and improved mental well-being.

Another positive factor for well-being involves increased autonomy and control. Flexibility empowers employees with a sense of control over their work environment and schedule. This autonomy fosters feelings of ownership and responsibility, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced stress.

The ability to adjust work schedules and locations allows employees to better integrate their professional and personal lives, facilitating work-life balance. This leads to improved satisfaction with both work and personal life, contributing to overall well-being.

Finally, flexible work arrangements can help those with mental health challenges, creating a more supportive work environment. Employees feel more comfortable seeking help and taking time for self-care without fear of judgment or repercussions.

As we continue to navigate this new normal, the insights provided by such research are invaluable. They not only help in shaping policies that are in tune with contemporary work-life dynamics but also ensure that these policies contribute positively to the mental health of the workforce. Flexibility offers a crucial element to building more resilient and adaptive organizations in the post-pandemic world.

Leaders must therefore consider flexible work, not just as a necessity borne out of a global crisis, but as an opportunity to fundamentally rethink and improve our work environments.

The goal should be clear: to design work models that promote both high productivity and strong mental health, thereby creating workplaces that are not only more humane but also more effective.

Gleb Tsipursky is CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts and the author of “Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams.“