In today’s evolving workplace, the discussion on flexible work arrangements and their impact on mental health is critical and timely. Groundbreaking research conducted by Professor Mark Ma and his graduate student Yuye Ding at the University of Pittsburgh in 2023, examining data across multiple U.S. states involving over five million mental health screens, brings new insights into how the structure of workplace flexibility can significantly influence mental well-being. The findings underscore a pressing need for a strategic reevaluation of work environments in the post-pandemic era.
The heart of this debate is whether remote or hybrid models contribute to or detract from employees’ mental health. While flexibility in work arrangements has been praised for allowing employees to avoid long commutes and manage work-life balance more effectively, skeptics argue that such arrangements might lead to increased feelings of isolation and blurred boundaries between work and home life.
For instance, according to a 2022 U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey of 403 executives, 64 percent of executives said that remote work had anywhere from a major to a minor negative impact on their employees’ mental health, up from 55 percent saying that in 2021. And a survey by the American Psychiatric Association in 2021 found that the majority of employees working from home say they experienced negative mental health impacts, including isolation, loneliness, and difficulty getting away from work at the end of the day.
However, as the University of Pittsburgh scholars point out, such research stems from the period of enforced social isolation due to the pandemic. It’s very likely that the loneliness and isolation identified previously with remote work decreased—or, in some cases, completely disappeared—once people started going out and meeting with friends and family and engaging in various social, civic, and community activities.
Moreover, prior studies relied on survey data of self-reported mental health, as opposed to mental health risk measured based on professional assessments. The University of Pittsburgh study instead drew on state-level depression and suicide risk data from Mental Health America, which collects data from over five million mental health screens taken by U.S. users. For each state, Mental Health America calculates the percentage of individuals with severe depression and suicide risk. The University of Pittsburgh scholars also used data on the percentage of firms that offer workplace flexibility in each state during 2023 from the Scoop Flex Index Report.
Combining these two sources, the new study from the University of Pittsburgh reveals significant findings for 2023, the first year we can truly say the pandemic was largely over. States with a higher percentage of flexible firms show considerably lower rates of depression. The correlation is robust, with depression rates in states with a higher degree of flexibility showing a negative correlation coefficient to depression of -0.389 and a p-value of 0.012, suggesting a strong inverse relationship. In other words, this data compellingly argues that having greater flexibility strongly facilitates mental wellness.
For example, consider Mississippi, a state where only 52 percent of all organizations offer either hybrid or remote work, the lowest degree of flexibility among all states. Mississippi’s rate of depression is about 50 percent higher than in Massachusetts, which has the highest degree of flexibility offered by 84 percent of all organizations.
California has less flexibility than Massachusetts, with flexibility at 79 percent of all organizations. In turn, California has a depression rate that’s 20 percent higher than the latter state.
We can take a look at two states that should be highly similar in other respects: North Carolina and South Carolina. In the latter, 66 percent of all firms offer flexibility, and in the former, 71 percent do so. And the state with higher flexibility has a 17 percent lower rate of depression. Or, consider another two states with a high degree of congruence: Ohio and Pennsylvania. In Ohio, 65 percent of all organizations provide hybrid or remote work opportunities for employees, while the comparable number for Pennsylvania is 73 percent. You won’t be surprised that Pennsylvania has 12 percent less depression.
They also separated states into three groups, ones with high, median, or low levels of flexibility, respectively. They found that states with high or median flexibility levels had 3-4 percent lower depression rates than those with low flexibility in 2023.
While the study establishes a clear correlation, it’s important to explore the possible mechanisms through which workplace flexibility improves mental health. Several factors likely contribute to this positive effect. One possibility is reduced stress since flexible work arrangements help alleviate the tension associated with commuting, rigid schedules, and work-life imbalance. This allows employees to better manage their time, responsibilities, and personal needs, leading to reduced stress levels and improved mental well-being.
Another positive factor for well-being involves increased autonomy and control. Flexibility empowers employees with a sense of control over their work environment and schedule. This autonomy fosters feelings of ownership and responsibility, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced stress.
The ability to adjust work schedules and locations allows employees to better integrate their professional and personal lives, facilitating work-life balance. This leads to improved satisfaction with both work and personal life, contributing to overall well-being.
Finally, flexible work arrangements help those with mental health challenges, creating a more supportive work environment. Employees feel more comfortable seeking help and taking time for self-care without fear of judgment or repercussions.
As we continue to navigate this new normal, the insights provided by such research are invaluable. They not only help in shaping policies that are in tune with contemporary work-life dynamics but also ensure that these policies contribute positively to the mental health of the workforce. Embracing flexibility offers a crucial element to building more resilient and adaptive organizations in the post-pandemic world.
Therefore, leaders need to consider flexible work not just as a necessity borne out of a global crisis but as an opportunity to fundamentally rethink and improve our work environments. The goal should be clear: to design work models that promote both high productivity and strong mental health, thereby creating workplaces that are not only more humane but also more effective.
A version of this article also appears in The Hill and The Columbus Dispatch.
