“People with the right work setup are much more satisfied”, says Martijn Stroom, a behavioural economist at SBE. The respondents, one thousand remote workers aged 18 and older, also said they are more willing to continue working from home.
But there’s more to it than just the physical work setup. Stroom and his colleagues Piet Eichholtz and Nils Kok also investigated the role of ventilation. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that people who ventilate their homes and regularly open their windows feel better – and it pays off in productivity. “It makes sense that it’s all connected”, says Stroom. “Sitting better means working better, and even just fifteen minutes of fresh air can work wonders.”
Unpleasant
Some people prefer to keep their windows shut because they don’t want to let in cold air and draughts. “Many only air their home when they’re away”, explains Stroom. He advises opening a window when you’re home, even if it isn’t what you prefer. “People are actually very bad at knowing what’s good for them. The focus should be on what works, not on what feels good. Step out of your comfort zone. It might feel nice to work from the couch with the thermostat set at 21 degrees Celsius, but you’ll be more alert and energetic at a slightly lower temperature.”
There is, however, one caveat: the survey is based on self-reported data. “Respondents had to assess their own productivity, which is subjective. We don’t know how honest they were about how much work they got done”, says Stroom, sharing some other interesting findings. For example, people with partners are more productive, but only when their partner isn’t home. And people with dogs are more likely to take unplanned time off work to take care of their pets. The same goes for people with children.
Optimised spaces
Taking all this into account, working from home isn’t always the best solution. In Stroom’s view, there should be many more spaces outdoors where people can work or study under ideal conditions or, as he puts it, “optimised spaces”. He points to the university buildings at Tapijn as an example. “With their focus on indoor environment quality, they’re pleasant places to be. Educational institutions should ensure they provide these kinds of spaces. It makes them attractive to employees as well; well-designed work and study spaces are a real draw.”