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Working flexibly from home with the necessary office supplies can have a positive effect on overall health, new research suggests.
According to a new study from the University of Minnesota, flexible working practices were found to increase employees' physical health, behaviour and wellbeing.
The report, which appears in the December issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, also found that allowing employees to work remotely resulted in an increase in the amount of quality sleep they enjoyed.
As part of the survey, scientists collected data from 608 employees from a white collar organisation before and after a flexible working initiative known as the Results Only Work Environment scheme was implemented.
Under the scheme, employees were routinely allowed to change when and where they worked based on their personal needs.
The findings revealed that employees who took advantage of the flexible working initiative received an extra 52 minutes of sleep on nights before work and were less likely to feel obliged to work when sick and more likely to see a doctor when needed.
Flexible working was also found to increase employees' effective management of their workload and increase their work-life balance and energy levels, while lowering their emotional exhaustion or sense of psychological distress.
Sociology professor Phyllis Moen, who co-led the survey, said: "Our study shows that moving from viewing time at the office as a sign of productivity, to emphasising actual results can create a work environment that fosters healthy behaviour and well-being.
"This has important policy implications, suggesting that initiatives creating broad access to time flexibility encourage employees to take better care of themselves."
Professor Erin Kelly added that other types of flexible working practices which are more restrictive do allow employees to accommodate their personal and familial needs but are less likely to promote employee health and overall wellbeing and are less likely to be available to all employees.