Yes, working from home does make us happier - here is a 4 year study

For years, remote work has sparked heated debates across boardrooms, Slack channels, and dinner tables. Is it better for productivity? Does it hurt collaboration? Can culture really thrive through a screen?

Now, after four years of global-scale remote work data, researchers from the Centre for Management and Understanding (CMU) in France have a clear answer: Working from home makes people happier — and it doesn’t come at the cost of productivity.

The Study: What They Found

Over a four-year study, CMU scientists followed thousands of workers across Europe and North America. Their findings:

• Remote workers report higher happiness and lower stress

• Productivity remained stable or improved, especially for knowledge workers

• Autonomy, trust, and work-life balance were the biggest drivers of satisfaction

  
  

What This Means for Canadian Tech Companies

If you're hiring in 2025 — especially in tech — the takeaway is simple: Don’t fight remote. Embrace it, optimize it, and use it as a competitive edge.

Here’s what we’re seeing every day at smartsourcers:

• The top engineers and AI talent prioritize remote-first roles

• >80% of our candidates want remote only, or occasional hybrid

• Flexibility often matters more than salary

• Remote-friendly founders enjoy stronger pipelines and faster placements

  
  

Hybrid Isn’t a Compromise — It’s a Strategy

The CMU study also found that hybrid work (2–3 days in-office) delivers strong results — if teams are set up to succeed. That means:

• Clear communication frameworks

• Strong onboarding

• Real trust and accountability

  
  

What You Can Do Right Now

1. Highlight flexibility in your job descriptions — clearly and honestly.

2. Support your hiring managers with tools to lead distributed teams.

3. Focus on outcomes, not attendance.

   
   

Not sure how your current hiring setup stacks up? Ask us about a free hiring health check at https://www.smartsourcers.com/contact-us— we’ll help you find the gaps and close them.

Elbows up, The smartsourcers team

working from home with bet friend