Dr. Mark Benden is chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Texas A&M University. He’s one of the people actively researching how physical environments lead to increased productivity. Dr. Benden bases his high-caliber research on work habits from his home base of Texas. His hands-on approach zeroes in on one particularly pressing topic — the rise of remote work. In our recent conversations, he provided some great perspective about the benefits and drawbacks of remote work. He even pinpointed the times that employees are most ineffective.
Dr. Benden’s research uncovers just how much remote work has affected our movement at work. This trend only accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. He notes that while many employees have enjoyed the flexibility that comes with working from home, productivity levels can vary significantly based on several factors. “The environment in which one works plays a crucial role in their overall productivity,” he stated during a recent interview.
One of the key findings from Dr. Benden’s research indicates that Fridays are often the least productive days for many remote workers. He says that as the week’s approach, people start to check out. Or they lose focus because they are too busy thinking about their fun weekend excursions. The data does tell us that at the end of a long work week, folks like to relax. This tendency inevitably results in reduced output on Fridays,” he noted.
In addition to redeeming Fridays, Dr. Benden’s recent research indicates productive work-from-home practices can boost productivity across all days of the week. He encourages having a consistent place where work gets done and establishing a hard line between work time and non-work time. “Creating an environment conducive to work is essential, especially when transitioning from office settings to home offices,” Dr. Benden noted.
Furthermore, Dr. Benden advocates for structured work schedules that can help mitigate productivity drops, particularly toward the end of the week. He pushes employers to pursue alternative schedules, such as flexible hours or staggered workweeks, that improve employees’ work-life balance without sacrificing productivity. It’s important for any organization to be aware of these trends and shift their strategy in response,” he explained.
Further, the nature of modern work put Dr. Benden’s research to the test, making her findings essential in helping us navigate these unprecedented times. He aims to provide employers and employees with data-driven strategies to optimize productivity, whether in traditional office settings or remote locations.
