A new study from Maastricht University reveals that Dutch employees working from home report higher productivity and less burnout if they are satisfied with their home office setup. The study also links better air ventilation in the home office to increased productivity.

With the rise of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and technological advancements, understanding what influences job satisfaction and productivity in home settings has become crucial. Researchers have focused on whether certain jobs are well-suited for remote work, but few have explored how the home office environment affects productivity and job satisfaction.

Home offices

To fill this gap, the researchers surveyed 1,002 Dutch remote workers about their home office characteristics, productivity, job satisfaction, and related factors. They used statistical tools like logistic regressions and structural equation models to identify relationships between these variables.

The findings show that employees who are more satisfied with their home office setups—considering factors like temperature, noise, and office furniture—tend to report higher productivity and lower burnout levels.

Additionally, the study found that better air ventilation in the home office is linked to higher productivity, a greater willingness to continue working from home, and lower burnout. This aligns with previous research on the positive impact of air quality on workplace productivity.

Ventilation matters

However, the study also highlights a discrepancy between the amount of ventilation and self-reported satisfaction with indoor air quality. This discrepancy suggests that relying heavily on self-reported measures may have limitations, emphasizing the need for objective measurements of the indoor environment.

Based on their findings, the researchers recommend investing in home-office hardware and environmental improvements, supported by objective indoor climate assessments, to ensure the success of remote work policies. Further research could help clarify causal relationships between these factors.

“The physical climate of the home office plays a key role in work-from-home productivity,” the authors conclude. “Different home offices are likely to lead to different willingness to work from home and work-from-home success.”