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Sick of Working from Home?

Author

Listed:
  • Goux, Dominique

    (CREST-INSEE)

  • Maurin, Eric

    (Paris School of Economics)

Abstract

Driven by new information technologies, working from home has experienced unprecedented growth since the COVID pandemic. We contribute to the debate on the consequences of this development by drawing on a French reform conducted in 2017, with the aim of facilitating telework agreements between employers and employees. We show that the reform was followed by a boom in working from home, particularly in mid-level occupations. On the other hand, employees in lower-level occupations were virtually unaffected. By comparing occupational groups before and after the reform, in firms that have signed telework agreements and in firms that have not, we find that the development of working from home coincides with a significant deterioration in the health status of mid-level employees, particularly men. Wages and number hours worked, on the other hand, remain largely unaffected.

Suggested Citation

  • Goux, Dominique & Maurin, Eric, 2024. "Sick of Working from Home?," IZA Discussion Papers 16848, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16848
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nicholas Bloom & James Liang & John Roberts & Zhichun Jenny Ying, 2015. "Does Working from Home Work? Evidence from a Chinese Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 130(1), pages 165-218.
    2. José María Barrero & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis, 2023. "The Evolution of Work from Home," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 37(4), pages 23-50, Fall.
    3. Glenn Dutcher, E., 2012. "The effects of telecommuting on productivity: An experimental examination. The role of dull and creative tasks," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 355-363.
    4. Lídia Farré & Yarine Fawaz & Libertad González & Jennifer Graves, 2022. "Gender Inequality in Paid and Unpaid Work During Covid‐19 Times," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(2), pages 323-347, June.
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    2. Benjamin W. Cowan & Todd R. Jones, 2025. "Social Substitution? Time Use Responses to Increased Workplace Isolation," CESifo Working Paper Series 12117, CESifo.
    3. Gregory Verdugo & Malak Kandoussi, 2025. "Will You Follow Your Job to the Suburbs? Commuting, Locational Amenities and Wages in a Large Metro Area," Working Papers hal-05391709, HAL.
    4. Achard, Pascal & Belot, Michèle & Chevalier, Arnaud, 2025. "When Parents Work from Home," IZA Discussion Papers 17957, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Cowan, Benjamin & Jones, Todd R., 2025. "Social Substitution? Time Use Responses to Increased Workplace Isolation," IZA Discussion Papers 18112, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Feuillade, Mylène & Goux, Dominique & Maurin, Eric, 2025. "Rise in Home Working and Spousal Labor Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 17997, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions
    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence
    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other

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