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IZA Discussion Paper No. 18020
July 2025
Determinants and Effects of Remote Work Arrangements: Evidence from an Employer Survey
Tony Fang, Morley Gunderson, John Hartley, Graham King, Hui Ming

forthcoming in: Asia-Pacific Journal of Human Resource Management, 2025.

Remote work arrangements are compelling examples of an organization’s ability to utilize digital technology. This study analyzes data from a representative survey of Atlantic Canadian employers to evaluate three phenomena: how remote work evolved during the recent COVID-19 pandemic; the factors influencing these changes; and the impact of these changes on business outcomes. Our findings suggest that urban firms, technologically advanced companies in certain highly skilled industries, and firms offering greater flexibility for remote work were most likely to enhance remote work practices during the pandemic. For the average firm, an increase in the share of remote work correlated with higher organizational productivity, improved employee performance, and greater new product/service innovation. The primary downside was heightened management complexity. Variations were observed along industry and provincial lines.

Communications
Mark Fallak
mark.fallak@liser.lu
+352 585-855-526
World of Labour
Olga Nottmeyer
olga.nottmeyer@liser.lu
+352 585-855-501
Network Coordination
Christina Gathmann
christina.gathmann@liser.lu

The IZA@LISER Network is a global community of scholars dedicated to excellence in labor economics and related fields, now coordinated at the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) following its transition from Bonn.

About IZA@LISER Network
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