It’s official, working from home still works.
When the Covid pandemic began, businesses didn’t really have a choice. They either let their employees work from home or they closed their doors for good. Naturally, most businesses chose that first option and surprisingly, things worked out really well.
Eventually though, the pandemic ended and there was a push to get employees to come back to the office. Some employees though, pushed back. Having tried working from home, most found it very much to their liking. Managers were a bit less certain. After all, there were some fears that at-home workers weren’t as productive.
The good news is, that’s not actually true, and we’ve got the receipts to prove it. In fact, new research shows remote teams are thriving. Let’s take a closer look:
Productivity Is Still Strong
A new study from the Institute for Corporate Productivity and Akamai Technologies found that:
- 83% of companies with remote-friendly policies report high productivity levels.
- 21% say productivity is very high.
- 62% report it as high.
That’s not an outlier either. A recent Gallup poll backs it up, showing that hybrid and remote employees remain just as productive as their counterparts who are in the office every day, and, in many cases, remote employees report higher engagement and wellbeing.
Gallup’s findings echo what most of us already suspect. When people feel trusted, supported, and balanced, they do great work no matter where they sit.
Trust Over Tracking
What makes the Akamai data even more interesting is that a staggering 62% of remote-friendly companies don’t use surveillance tools like VPN logs or key-tracking software.
Instead, they rely on mutual trust.
Akamai, for example, reports:
- Higher performance ratings
- A low 7.3% attrition rate (compared to the global tech average of 13%)
That’s a strong sign that culture, rather than strict control, is what drives productivity.
The New Normal
The same report shows just how much the world has changed.
- 52% of companies now say that remote work is their default model.
- Only 7% plan to revert back to fully in-office operations.
- 86% still host strategy and team building events in person, but the frequency is limited to just once or twice a year.
So, we’re not losing teamwork, we’re just redefining how and where it happens.
For a lot of businesses, the decision to keep remote friendly policies isn’t really about cost, it’s about keeping your talent where they are, working for you, as opposed to working for someone else.
In addition:
- 72% of survey respondents said offering flexible work expands their hiring pool
- 62% see it as a deliberate way to boost work-life balance.
- Nearly 80% also provide mental health benefits
- and over 50% reimburse home office costs.
That’s not just generosity, it’s smart retention strategy.
Culture Beats Control
If you’ve been debating an RTO (Return to Office) mandate, these findings are worth thinking about.
Productivity clearly isn’t tied to proximity to your actual office space. Forcing people back into cubicles won’t automatically lift performance; in fact, it may chip away at morale and retention.
The companies seeing the strongest results are the ones investing in connection, rather than control. They’re creating opportunities for employees to collaborate, celebrate wins, and feel valued, even at a distance.
A Final Thought
If your remote team’s output feels off, it might not be because they’re home, it might be because they’re not feeling recognized. A small, thoughtful employee gift can go a long way toward rebuilding motivation and connection across the miles.