IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/trr/wpaper/202604.html

Home Alone: Work from Home and Loneliness

Author

Listed:
  • Mehrzad B. Baktash

Abstract

Does working from home lead to loneliness? If yes, how and for whom? Using a quasi-natural experiment and individual fixed-effects, this study shows that work from home leads to increased worker loneliness. Teleworking not only increases overall loneliness, but it also affects each of the three dimensions of loneliness (feeling isolated, feeling left out, lacking companionship). Working from home increases irregular work hours and decreases satisfaction with leisure time, dwelling, and family life. Consequently, teleworkers feel lonelier. However, the effect is highly heterogeneous. Work from home particularly exacerbates the loneliness levels of employees who are extroverted, not married, without children, living in smaller households, working in the private sector, or residing in East Germany. Importantly, this detrimental effect is mainly driven by fully working remotely. Implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehrzad B. Baktash, 2026. "Home Alone: Work from Home and Loneliness," Research Papers in Economics 2026-04, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:trr:wpaper:202604
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.uni-trier.de/fileadmin/fb4/prof/VWL/EWF/Research_Papers/2026-04.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2026
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Manuel Denzer & Philipp Grunau, 2024. "The impacts of working from home on individual health and well-being," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 25(5), pages 743-762, July.
    2. Pfeiffer, Friedhelm & Schulz, Nico Johannes, 2012. "Gregariousness, interactive jobs and wages," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 45(2), pages 147-159.
    3. Forsythe, Eliza & Kahn, Lisa B. & Lange, Fabian & Wiczer, David, 2020. "Labor demand in the time of COVID-19: Evidence from vacancy postings and UI claims," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    4. Cevat Giray Aksoy & Jose Maria Barrero & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis & Mathias Dolls & Pablo Zarate, 2022. "Working from Home Around the World," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 53(2 (Fall)), pages 281-360.
    5. Lepinteur, Anthony & Clark, Andrew E. & Ferrer-i-Carbonell, Ada & Piper, Alan & Schröder, Carsten & D'Ambrosio, Conchita, 2022. "Gender, loneliness and happiness during COVID-19," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    6. Paul Lee & Louis Leung & Venhwei Lo & Chengyu Xiong & Tingjun Wu, 2011. "Internet Communication Versus Face-to-face Interaction in Quality of Life," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(3), pages 375-389, February.
    7. 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.
    8. Inga Laß & Esperanza Vera-Toscano & Mark Wooden, 2025. "Working from Home, COVID-19, and Job Satisfaction," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 78(2), pages 330-354, March.
    9. Rainer, Helmut & Siedler, Thomas, 2009. "Does democracy foster trust?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 251-269, June.
    10. Bertoni, Marco & Cavapozzi, Danilo & Pasini, Giacomo & Pavese, Caterina, 2025. "The causal effect of working from home on mental health of 50+ Europeans," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    11. Cevat Giray Aksoy & Jose Maria Barrero & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis & Mathias Dolls & Pablo Zarate, 2023. "Time Savings When Working from Home," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 113, pages 597-603, May.
    12. Dingel, Jonathan I. & Neiman, Brent, 2020. "How many jobs can be done at home?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    13. Dominique Goux & Eric Maurin, 2025. "Sick of Working from Home?," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 135(672), pages 2549-2566.
    14. Barrero, Jose Maria & Bloom, Nick & Davis, Steven J., 2020. "Why Working From Home Will Stick," SocArXiv wfdbe, Center for Open Science.
    15. Altig, Dave & Baker, Scott & Barrero, Jose Maria & Bloom, Nicholas & Bunn, Philip & Chen, Scarlet & Davis, Steven J. & Leather, Julia & Meyer, Brent & Mihaylov, Emil & Mizen, Paul & Parker, Nicholas &, 2020. "Economic uncertainty before and during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    16. Edward L. Glaeser & David Laibson & Bruce Sacerdote, 2002. "An Economic Approach to Social Capital," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(483), pages 437-458, November.
    17. Guillaume Gueguen & Claudia Senik, 2023. "Adopting telework: The causal impact of working from home on subjective well‐being," Post-Print halshs-04192717, HAL.
    18. Alan Felstead & Nick Jewson & Sally Walters, 2003. "Managerial Control of Employees Working at Home," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 41(2), pages 241-264, June.
    19. 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.
    20. repec:osf:socarx:q4dyg_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Natalia Emanuel & Emma Harrington, 2024. "Working Remotely? Selection, Treatment, and the Market for Remote Work," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 16(4), pages 528-559, October.
    22. Horak, Sven & Afiouni, Fida & Bian, Yanjie & Ledeneva, Alena & Muratbekova-Touron, Maral & Fey, Carl F., 2020. "Informal Networks: Dark Sides, Bright Sides, and Unexplored Dimensions," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(3), pages 511-542, July.
    23. Valtorta, N.K. & Moore, D.C. & Barron, L. & Stow, D. & Hanratty, B., 2018. "Older adults’ social relationships and health care utilization: A systematic review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 108(4), pages 1-10.
    24. Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff & Vernon, Victoria, 2020. "Telework and Time Use in the United States," GLO Discussion Paper Series 546, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    25. Claudia Senik & Andrew E. Clark & Conchita D’Ambrosio & Anthony Lepinteur & Carsten Schröder, 2024. "Teleworking and life satisfaction during COVID-19: the importance of family structure," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 1-24, March.
    26. Diego Battiston & Jordi Blanes i Vidal & Tom Kirchmaier, 2021. "Face-to-Face Communication in Organizations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 88(2), pages 574-609.
    27. Guillaume Gueguen & Claudia Senik, 2023. "Adopting telework: The causal impact of working from home on subjective well‐being," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 61(4), pages 832-868, December.
    28. Glaeser, Edward L. & Sacerdote, Bruce, 2000. "The Social Consequences of Housing," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1-2), pages 1-23, March.
    29. Margherita AGNOLETTO, 2024. "Flexible working and well-being: evidence from the UK," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 90(4), pages 589-625, December.
    30. Duanyi Yang & Erin L. Kelly & Laura D. Kubzansky & Lisa Berkman, 2023. "Working from Home and Worker Well-being: New Evidence from Germany," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 76(3), pages 504-531, May.
    31. David Marmaros & Bruce Sacerdote, 2006. "How Do Friendships Form?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 121(1), pages 79-119.
    32. Adam B. Jaffe & Manuel Trajtenberg & Rebecca Henderson, 1993. "Geographic Localization of Knowledge Spillovers as Evidenced by Patent Citations," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 108(3), pages 577-598.
    33. Mehrzad B. Baktash, 2026. "Does Performance Pay Increase the Risk of Worker Loneliness?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(1), pages 129-148, February.
    34. Guillaume Gueguen & Claudia Senik, 2023. "Adopting telework: The causal impact of working from home on subjective well‐being," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-04192717, HAL.
    35. Lonnie Golden, 2008. "Limited Access: Disparities in Flexible Work Schedules and Work-at-home," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 86-109, March.
    36. Ockenfels, Axel & Weimann, Joachim, 1999. "Types and patterns: an experimental East-West-German comparison of cooperation and solidarity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 275-287, February.
    37. Michael Gibbs & Friederike Mengel & Christoph Siemroth, 2023. "Work from Home and Productivity: Evidence from Personnel and Analytics Data on Information Technology Professionals," Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 1(1), pages 7-41.
    38. Jirjahn, Uwe & Rienzo, Cinzia, 2025. "Working from Home and Mental Health: Giving Employees a Choice Does Make a Difference," IZA Discussion Papers 18187, IZA Network @ LISER.
    39. Wielgoszewska, Bożena & Bryson, Alex & Joshi, Heather & Wilkinson, David, 2024. "Do Women Pay for Working from Home? Exploring Gender Gaps in Pay and Wellbeing by Work Location in the UK Cohort Studies," IZA Discussion Papers 17405, IZA Network @ LISER.
    40. Nicholas Bloom & Luis Garicano & Raffaella Sadun & John Van Reenen, 2014. "The Distinct Effects of Information Technology and Communication Technology on Firm Organization," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(12), pages 2859-2885, December.
    41. Younghwan Song & Jia Gao, 2020. "Does Telework Stress Employees Out? A Study on Working at Home and Subjective Well-Being for Wage/Salary Workers," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(7), pages 2649-2668, October.
    42. repec:osf:socarx:6veyt_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jirjahn, Uwe & Rienzo, Cinzia, 2025. "Working from Home and Mental Health: Giving Employees a Choice Does Make a Difference," IZA Discussion Papers 18187, IZA Network @ LISER.
    2. Cowan, Benjamin & Jones, Todd R., 2025. "Social Substitution? Time Use Responses to Increased Workplace Isolation," IZA Discussion Papers 18112, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. Benjamin W. Cowan & Todd R. Jones, 2025. "Social Substitution? Time Use Responses to Increased Workplace Isolation," CESifo Working Paper Series 12117, CESifo.
    4. Yue Qian & Wen Fan, 2026. "Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Make It Worse? Working from Home and Affective Well-Being at the Intersections of Parental Status and Occupation," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 79(2), pages 310-332, March.
    5. Yoon, Chungeun, 2026. "The direction of innovation and work from home," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    6. Bertoni, Marco & Cavapozzi, Danilo & Pasini, Giacomo & Pavese, Caterina, 2025. "The causal effect of working from home on mental health of 50+ Europeans," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    7. Philippe Askenazy & Ugo Di Nallo & Ismaël Ramajo & Conrad Thiounn, 2025. "Teleworking in the French private sector: a lasting but heterogenous shift shaped by collective agreements (2019- 2024)," Working Papers hal-05291266, HAL.
    8. Guillaume Gueguen & Claudia Senik, 2023. "Adopting telework: The causal impact of working from home on subjective well‐being," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 61(4), pages 832-868, December.
    9. Pablo Zarate & Mathias Dolls & Steven J. Davis & Nicholas Bloom & Jose Maria Barrero & Cevat Giray Aksoy, 2024. "Why Does Working from Home Vary Across Countries and People?," NBER Working Papers 32374, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Alessandra Fenizia & Tom Kirchmaier, 2024. "Not incentivized yet efficient: Working from home in the public sector," CEP Discussion Papers dp2036, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    11. Lee, Kangoh, 2023. "Working from home as an economic and social change: A review," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    12. Nicole Nestoriak & David H. Oh, 2025. "What Makes Work from Home Work? Evidence on Telework and Worker Tasks," NBER Chapters, in: The Changing Nature of Work, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Ketter, Laura & Morris, Todd & Yu, Lizi, 2025. "A New Equilibrium: COVID-19 Lockdowns and WFH Persistence," IZA Discussion Papers 17975, IZA Network @ LISER.
    14. Laura Ketter & Todd Morris & Lizi Yu, 2025. "A new equilibrium: COVID-19 lockdowns and WFH persistence," Papers 2506.16671, arXiv.org.
    15. Duanyi Yang & Erin L. Kelly & Laura D. Kubzansky & Lisa Berkman, 2023. "Working from Home and Worker Well-being: New Evidence from Germany," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 76(3), pages 504-531, May.
    16. Cevat Giray Aksoy & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis & Victoria Marino & Cem Ozguzel, 2025. "Remote Work, Employee Mix, and Performance," NBER Working Papers 33851, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Piotr Lewandowski & Katarzyna Lipowska & Mateusz Smoter, 2026. "Mismatch in Preferences for Working from Home: Evidence from Discrete Choice Experiments with Workers and Employers," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 79(1), pages 142-172, January.
    18. Jiang, Mingyu & Yasui, Kengo & Yugami, Kazufumi, 2024. "Working from home, job tasks, and productivity," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(8).
    19. Feuillade, Mylène & Goux, Dominique & Maurin, Eric, 2025. "Rise in Home Working and Spousal Labor Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 17997, IZA Network @ LISER.
    20. Achard, Pascal & Belot, Michèle & Chevalier, Arnaud, 2025. "When Parents Work from Home," IZA Discussion Papers 17957, IZA Network @ LISER.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • M5 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:trr:wpaper:202604. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Matthias Neuenkirch (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/petride.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.