The Influence of Working from Home vs. Working at the Office on Job Performance in a Hybrid Work Arrangement: A Diary Study

Working from home (WFH) has become increasingly common, and its impact on job performance is particularly interesting to researchers. Prior research has established a positive correlation between remote work and job performance, but the underlying mechanisms still need to be fully understood. This diary study addresses this issue by applying the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory and developing a mediation model that identifies two processes responsible for the positive and negative relationships of WFH (compared to working at the office or WATO) with job performance. The study was conducted in a public organization, and 203 employees engaged in hybrid work arrangements answered an online survey for eight consecutive workdays. Results showed that working from home (WFH) had an indirect positive relationship with job performance through daily concentration and work engagement. Instead, no significant indirect relationship of WFH with daily job performance through daily social isolation and tension was observed. However, a disengagement “effect” was found, as the indirect relationship of WFH with daily job performance via daily social isolation and work engagement was negative and statistically significant. Theoretically, this study supports a motivational mechanism linking WFH to job performance, does not support the health-impairment process triggered by WFH, and emphasizes the importance of considering the complex interplay between job demands and motivational states. From a practical standpoint, the study suggests that organizations implementing hybrid work should enhance employee motivation, for instance, by providing tools to improve employee concentration and addressing potential feelings of social isolation when working from home.