A new study shows just how beneficial remote working can be

Aug 22, 2019

With remote work options, productivity increased among all examiners and continued to rise with each step toward the full work-from-anywhere policy, the researchers found. Image: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach - S1AEULHWNHAA

Kristen Senz

Writer and Social Media Creator, Harvard Business School Working Knowledge

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Offering remote work to patent examiners increased fee revenue and reduced costs. Image: US Patent and Trademark Office; “(Live) and Work from Anywhere: Geographic Flexibility and Productivity Effects at the United States Patent Office” by Prithwiraj Choudhury, Cirrus Foroughi, and Barbara Larson

The option of remote work benefitted patent examiners and environment. Image: US Patent and Trademark Office; “(Live) and Work from Anywhere: Geographic Flexibility and Productivity Effects at the United States Patent Office” by Prithwiraj Choudhury, Cirrus Foroughi, and Barbara Larson

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Only patent examiners with two years of in-office experience were eligible for the USPTO's remote work programs. Image: “(Live) and Work from Anywhere: Geographic Flexibility and Productivity Effects at the United States Patent Office” by Prithwiraj Choudhury, Cirrus Foroughi, and Barbara Larson

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