The association between working from home and physical activity among university employees: a cross-sectional study

Abstract In recent years, the home environment has become an integral part of many adults’ daily working lives. While previous research has primarily focused on the general working population or the population of office workers, studies on the behavioral consequences of working from home (WFH) on physical activity (PA) among university employees are lacking. This study aimed to provide insights into the relationship between WFH and PA by comparing PA levels of WFH and non-WFH employees and exploring the role of the extent of WFH. A cross-sectional online survey ( n = 2932) assessed WFH characteristics during an average working week and PA levels. Contrary to most previous findings, our results suggest that neither the work environment (i.e., WFH vs. non-WFH) nor the extent of WFH (1–100%) is associated with moderate-intensity PA (MPA), vigorous-intensity PA (VPA), and PA guideline compliance. However, we found a significant interaction effect for work area moderating the association between the work environment and MPA. Additionally, our analyses focusing on WFH employees revealed that age influenced MPA, while age, gender, BMI, and decision latitude influenced VPA. Interestingly, employees aged 50+ reported spending significantly more weekly MPA than those aged 18–35 years. Given the moderating role of work area, focusing on specific occupations or conducting occupation-specific analyses is crucial. In hybrid work arrangements, daily PA may fluctuate throughout the week.Therefore, future studies may explore the dynamic within-subject relationship between WFH characteristics and PA.