Remote Workers Received Lower Performance Ratings

A study found that employees working from home face career penalties compared to their office-based colleagues.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Remote Work

Isometric editorial illustration featuring two vacant office chairs separated by a concrete wall, representing workplace evaluation gaps. — King's Business School research indicates that remote workers consistently receive lower performance ratings than colleagues who work in the office. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe working from home limits your potential for career advancement at your company?

King's Business School published research on September 28, 2026, revealing that remote workers received lower professional ratings than those in the office. The study analyzed data collected in the second half of 2023 across the UK and Germany.

Why it matters

The findings highlight how homeworking impacts professional perceptions and evaluation, specifically showing that remote work frequency influences career standing. It underscores the ongoing challenges regarding equity for remote staff compared to on-site personnel.

Researchers analyzed 13,000 individual assessments provided by 5,300 employed participants. The data reflected workplace evaluations for workers in the UK and Germany.

The players

King's Business School

This academic institution is a faculty of King's College London that conducts research into business, management, and organizational behavior.

The details

Participants in the study assessed hypothetical workers and consistently assigned lower ratings to those working remotely rather than in the office. The study revealed that the penalty for homeworking worsened for individuals working from home three or four days per week, with fathers and childless workers facing the largest declines in ratings.

Data collection took place throughout the second half of 2023.
The findings were published on September 28, 2026.

Market Landscape

This research provides evidence regarding the professional risks inherent in the post-pandemic shift toward hybrid and remote work models. The findings indicate that despite the normalization of home-based roles, significant cultural and structural biases remain that could alter the long-term adoption of flexible employment.

Remote employees may face unforeseen obstacles in performance reviews and career progression simply due to their working location. Workers should remain aware that increased physical distance from the office could influence managerial perceptions regardless of actual output quality.

The takeaway

The research suggests that visibility in the workplace remains a powerful factor in how employees are evaluated by their superiors. Professionals working remotely should be proactive in communicating their achievements to ensure their performance is accurately recognized.