For years, people have debated whether working from home (WFH) helps or hurts productivity. The pandemic showed that remote work was possible, but its effectiveness remained unclear. A new study by the London School of Economics gives a clear answer—at least for government jobs. Their research shows that WFH increases productivity by 12% on average and nearly doubles when supervisors, rather than algorithms, assign tasks. These insights could help both governments and businesses.

The study focused on the Crime Recording and Resolution Unit (CRRU) of the Greater Manchester Police. CRRU staff record crime details from calls, working alone with minimal team interaction. Because they alternate between home and office work, their situation creates a natural experiment to compare productivity.

Strong results

The results are striking. When working from home, staff recorded 12% more cases per day. This wasn’t due to working longer hours or changes in the types of crimes reported. Instead, fewer office distractions made them work faster. The quality of their work remained the same.

But WFH has limits. Employees working almost entirely from home (95% of the time) were no more productive than those in a hybrid model (70% WFH). While fewer office distractions help, occasional in-office work may strengthen team bonds and prevent isolation.

Another key finding: human managers make a difference. When a supervisor, rather than an algorithm, assigned tasks, WFH productivity rose to 20%. This suggests that good managers can match people to tasks better than software can. While managers are sometimes criticized as unnecessary, this study shows they play a vital role in making remote work effective.

Improving efficiency

The takeaway is clear. For government offices, where performance bonuses are rare, WFH offers a simple way to improve efficiency. It can also save money on office space. For businesses, the study supports a growing belief: hybrid models work best when managers are actively involved.

Of course, these findings don’t apply to every job. This study focused on routine tasks with clear output measures. Jobs requiring creativity, teamwork, or mentoring may not see the same benefits.

Still, in the debate over remote work, this study offers solid proof. When done right, WFH doesn’t just work—it works better.