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Study Finds Fully Remote Employees Report the Highest Well-Being

Researchers say firms should prioritize employee well-being and retention goals before issuing return-to-office mandates.

Overview

  • The study, published in July 2026, analyzed survey responses from 7,704 employees at a large health-care organization and linked those answers to turnover records one year later.
  • Fully remote workers had the highest reported well-being, followed by hybrid employees, with fully onsite staff reporting the lowest well-being.
  • Researchers found little evidence that remote workers felt less connected to colleagues or organizational culture than onsite peers.
  • Higher well-being was more strongly associated with lower turnover than physical work location, with remote work supporting well-being that in turn related to retention.
  • The authors urge employers to decide whether they want to prioritize connection, well-being, or retention before imposing RTO rules, but some firms continue to tighten in-office requirements despite the study's findings.