Home as an office: Investigating the associations between indoor environmental quality, well-being, and performance in work-from-home settings

• 95 work-from-home sites in the Pacific Northwest were monitored during summer. • Weak associations were found between monitored IEQ and well-being, performance. • Perceived IEQ showed stronger ties to outcomes than objective measurements. • Features like ergonomics and aesthetics were linked to positive WFH experiences. • Non-IEQ factors like work hours, gender, and personality were linked to outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped workplace dynamics, with work-from-home (WFH) becoming widespread, necessitating a deeper understanding of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in residential settings. This study investigates the interplay of monitored IEQ conditions, perception-based assessments, and non-IEQ contextual factors on well-being and work performance in WFH settings. Ninety-five participants from Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and the Seattle Metropolitan area provided data through objective IEQ monitoring and subjective questionnaires. Monitored parameters included t VOCs, PM 2.5 , CO 2 , temperature, humidity, and sound pressure levels, while subjective assessments captured perceptions of IEQ, overall workspace quality, and the impacts of working from home, alongside standardized measures of physical health, psychological well-being, and work performance. Results revealed weak associations between monitored IEQ conditions and well-being, and work performance outcomes, highlighting the limitations of seasonal, objective monitoring in capturing complex human-environment interactions. Conversely, perception-based assessments, such as satisfaction with ergonomic furniture, daylight, and workspace aesthetics, showed stronger associations with positive well-being and performance outcomes. Additionally, contextual factors, including work hours, gender, residence characteristics, and personality traits, were strongly associated with the outcomes, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of WFH experiences. This study underscores the importance of integrating subjective and objective methodologies to address the unique challenges of WFH settings.