Home Sweet Home Office? Job Satisfaction in Home Office Versus Traditional Office Settings

During the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home became widespread, substantially altering work arrangements. This study investigates whether employees working predominantly from home report higher job satisfaction than those working primarily in traditional office settings. In addition, it examines which contextual factors in the home office environment are associated with job satisfaction. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 201 employees in Germany. Job satisfaction was measured using the Arbeitsbeschreibungsbogen (ABB), and personality traits were assessed with the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10) as a control variable. Group differences were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results indicate that employees working predominantly from home reported significantly higher overall job satisfaction than those working mainly in traditional office settings (F(1, 193) = 69.79, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.27). This effect remained stable after controlling for personality traits and age and was evident across all job satisfaction subdimensions. Furthermore, effective communication tools, adequate technical equipment, a quiet workspace, and prior experience with working from home were positively associated with job satisfaction. The presence of children or other household co-workers did not significantly reduce job satisfaction, whereas sufficient childcare arrangements showed a strong positive association. Women working from home reported lower job satisfaction than men. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of supportive home office conditions for sustaining job satisfaction beyond the pandemic.