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

During the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home became widespread due to contact restrictions, substantially altering work arrangements. As organizations reassess long-term work policies, this study examines whether working from home is associated with higher job satisfaction than traditional office work and which factors influence job satisfaction in a home-office context. Data were collected via an online survey of 201 em-ployees in Germany. Job satisfaction was measured using the Job Description Form (ABB), and personality traits were assessed with the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), which was included as a control variable. Results indicate that employees working predominantly from home report significantly higher overall job satisfaction than those working mainly in traditional office settings. 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 expe-rience with working from home were positively associated with job satisfaction. In contrast, the presence of children or other household co-workers did not significantly reduce job satisfaction, whereas sufficient childcare arrangements showed a strong positive association. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of supportive home office conditions for sustaining job satisfaction beyond the pandemic.