NEWS The transition to hybrid work has improved the psychosocial work environment among white-collar employees, according to new research from Umeå University. Positive effects include more accessible leadership, greater autonomy over work tasks, and an increased ability to complete work within regular working hours.
Caroline Corneliusson, doctoral student at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University.
ImageHans Karlsson“Many organisations offer employees the opportunity to work remotely, but the debate remains active and there is still a lack of research-based guidance on how hybrid work should best be designed. We hope that our findings will support organisations in continuing to develop effective hybrid work arrangements,” says Caroline Corneliusson, doctoral student at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University.
Hybrid work – combining office-based and remote work – has become increasingly common following the COVID-19 pandemic, but there has been a lack of studies tracking its effects over a longer period of time. The present study is based on survey responses collected in 2017 and 2023 from white-collar employees in a medium-sized Swedish municipality.
The results show that the overall work experience improved after hybrid work was introduced. The most notable improvements concerned workplace satisfaction, employees’ ability to influence and organise their work, and their sense of being able to complete work tasks during regular working hours. Employees also reported that their immediate manager was more accessible than before.
“The study was conducted in an organisation with a relatively high level of digital maturity, where all employees were provided with the equipment they needed for their home offices. Interviews carried out within the same organisation indicate that employees find it easier to reach their managers through the various digital communication channels now available,” says Caroline Corneliusson.
At the same time, the study found that the improvement was not evenly distributed between women and men. Women reported an improved work experience, while no corresponding change was observed among men.
“This is interesting, but our sample included relatively few men, and there are several other factors that may influence the work experience,” says Caroline Corneliusson.
The study contributes much-needed knowledge about how hybrid work affects the work environment over time. The results are consistent with previous research suggesting that hybrid work can benefit both employees and employers. This appears to be particularly true in organisations with favourable conditions, such as high digital maturity and well-established flexible working practices.
“Hybrid work may be a sustainable solution for the future of working life, but more research is needed to understand why the effects differ between groups,” says Caroline Corneliusson.
The study included 148 white-collar employees in a medium-sized Swedish municipality and is based on survey data collected in 2017 and 2023. Work experience was measured using the established Work Experience Measurement Scale (WEMS).
Corneliusson, C., Chafi, M.B., Tornevi, A. et al. Psychosocial work experience after implementing hybrid work: a longitudinal study. BMC Public Health 26, 1359 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27487-x
This article was translated from Swedish with Microsoft Copilot. It has been manually reviewed by the author.
