Work From Home

Performing job duties from a personal residence rather than a company office, either as a permanent arrangement or part of a hybrid policy.

Work from home (WFH) refers to performing job duties from a personal residence rather than a company office. It may be a permanent arrangement, a hybrid policy (certain days per week in office), or an ad hoc option available case-by-case. WFH expanded dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic and has become a standard expectation for many knowledge workers — particularly in tech, finance, marketing, and other desk-based industries.

WFH and 'remote work' are often used interchangeably, but carry subtle differences in practice. Remote work typically implies location flexibility is a designed feature of the role — the job is structured to function from anywhere. WFH more often describes an accommodation layered onto a role that might otherwise be office-based: you work from home on certain days, but the company has a primary office culture. In practice, a 'WFH policy' usually means hybrid; 'remote role' usually means location-independent.

Research on WFH productivity is genuinely mixed. Employees consistently report higher satisfaction, fewer interruptions, and time savings from eliminating commutes. Employers cite concerns about collaboration, culture, mentorship, and the difficulty of managing performance and visibility at a distance. Both perspectives have merit, which is why hybrid models — typically 2–3 required days in office per week — have become the dominant compromise at large employers since 2022.