WFH and Productivity: Evidence from the Judiciary

Andreu Arenas (), Marc Bosch () and Nerea Frias ()
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Andreu Arenas: University of Barcelona (IEB, IPERG)
Marc Bosch: Ivà lua
Nerea Frias: National Institute of Economic and Social Research

No 18795, IZA Discussion Papers from IZA Network @ LISER

Abstract: We estimate the effect of work from home (WFH) on public-sector productivity by evaluating a mandatory return-to-office (RTO) policy in the Catalan judiciary. Leveraging cross-court variation in pre-mandate WFH intensity, difference-in-differences estimates show that terminating WFH reduced procedural output by 5.6 percent, with no offsetting changes in document quality or absenteeism. Evidence from a multi-stakeholder survey suggests a multitasking reallocation: filing tasks are performed on a digital platform and become easier under WFH, whereas coordination with lawyers is synchronous and harder to monitor. WFH thus shifted effort toward filing tasks and away from coordination. Perceived impacts follow a gradient: case managers and supervisors, who benefit from bureaucratic efficiency, are positive about WFH, while lawyers, who depend on service coordination, are clearly negative.

Keywords: WFH; public-sector productivity; multitasking; judiciary (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D73 H83 J22 J45 M54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-07
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