Working from home: productivity, job satisfaction and careers progression
The Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) echoes the results of the survey conducted through leading US and European economists about the potential impact of working from home on productivity, job satisfaction and professional careers over the long term. The analysis of these aspects will be relevant to determine if working from home will continue after the pandemic.
The main findings of the survey are as follows:
- Productivity: Majority of the respondents say they are uncertain about whether employees spending two of their days each week working from home are, on average, likely to be more productive over the longer term.
There are clear benefits in favor of higher productivity such as the reduction in time from commuting and positive effects in work-life balance, however the uncertainty comes from the following considerations:
- There is not enough evidence yet on the long-run consequences on trust, collaboration and coordination in organizations.
- Productivity gains will depend on the nature of job. For example, for knowledge workers productivity over the long term could be higher while for creative jobs social interaction is key so unclear if 40% at home will be better.
- Job satisfaction: Majority of respondents say employees working from home on average over the long term will report higher levels of job satisfaction. People value flexibility and attrition rates are half than those in person jobs. Some caveats to this general conclusion would be related to lower social interaction, decreasing job attachment or difficulties to disconnect.
- Women´s Career Progression: Majority of respondents are uncertain about whether having the opportunity to work two to three days a week from home is, on average, like to be more beneficial for women’s career progression than for that of their male colleagues due to, among others, the following reasons:
- Women will likely make more use of this working from home option, and therefore women may end up being less visible in the workplace.
- Traditional gender roles in childcare persist, which can lead to gender differences as working from-home likely means child-care-during-work for many people, particularly women.
Filter results
According to IE University’s Center for the Governance of Change, deeper and more integrated financial markets would strengthen the euro’s global role. This requires, among other elements, resilient and interoperable payment systems and completing the banking union.
Partnerships between banks and private credit: The winners will be those that combine bank underwriting discipline, distribution, and customer access with private capital’s appetite for long-dated, illiquid risk, according to Oliver Wyman.
Lucrezia Reichlin (CEPR): A CBDC is not a prerequisite for monetary sovereignty. Confusing money with payments can risk misdiagnosing the problem and misaligning economic policy efforts.
According to the World Economic Forum´s Global Risk Report 2026, geoeconomic confrontation, mis- and disinformation and societal polarization make up the top three short-term risks, while environmental risks dominate in the long term.
According to the World Economic Forum, over the last few years AI has moved from experimentation to workflow integration, promising systemic gains in productivity while also raising critical questions around economic inclusion, values, trust and resilience.
According to AFME, a clearer, more coherent, and proportionate regulatory environment, without unnecessary layers and focuses on growth and competitiveness, is keyl to increase investor confidence, unlock private capital and deepen European capital markets
According to the Center for the Governance of Change at IE University, Europeans support technological progress if it reinforces security, inclusion, and social welfare; but resist it when change feels imposed, opaque, or misaligned with their values.
According to a recent report released by CEPS, European financial regulators should adopt competitiveness as a formal secondary objective, following the precedent established by the UK's Financial Services and Markets Act 2023.
According to the OECD. SMEs and start-ups that grow rapidly contribute significantly to job creation, economic growth and competitiveness. Indeed, SMEs that grow by one-third over a three-year period, contribute about as much to job creation as large firms.
According to @McKinsey, banks must prepare for a new growth curve. Strategic precision —the ability to combine technology, capital discipline, and deep customer insight— will distinguish the leaders from the laggards.
According to Kristalina Georgeva IMF Managing Director, lifting growth requires three things: one, regulatory housecleaning to unleash private enterprise; two, deeper regional integration; and three, preparedness to harness AI.
According to The European House – Ambrosetti, the European Union has an opportunity to boost competitiveness and growth by simplifying regulatory and supervisory frameworks, particularly in the areas of sustainability and the financial sector.