Are remote, hybrid or on-site employees happier?

Employees are heading back to the office amid RTO mandates. While many might be reluctant to leave the comfort of their home offices, data from Gallup shows that on-site employees may have a more positive mindset at work — but are not as engaged in the workplace compared to remote and hybrid employees. 

"Organizational leaders often say in-person presence is necessary to build strong cultures and foster collaboration," Allison Vaillancourt, VP at HR and benefits consulting firm Segal, recently told EBN's Paola Peralta. "But there is actually plenty of research to show that a strong culture and high levels of teamwork can be achieved among remote teams."

Gallup's State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report, which surveyed 227,347 employees globally discusses the difference in mental well-being between remote employees, in-office employees and those with hybrid work options. 

Read more: Working from bed? Remote workers still face productivity challenges 

Based on Gallup's findings, 31% of exclusively remote employees are engaged, compared to 23% of hybrid employees and 19% of on-site employees, with "engaged" being defined as "highly involved in and enthusiastic about their work and workplace. They are psychological 'owners,' drive performance and innovation, and move the organization forward."

Despite high levels of engagement among remote employees, they show signs of a well-being struggle in other aspects: Employees working remotely feel more stress, anger, sadness and loneliness throughout the work day than on-site employees. According to the poll, hybrid employees feel the least anger and sadness of the groups, according to the survey. 

Read more about how well-being differs between remote, hybrid and on-site employees.