Working online or offline: Which is more effective?

Abstract

Teleworking is becoming increasingly prevalent due to the rapid technological development and the spread of COVID-19. Despite the great convenience, questions about its productivity arise. Using regression analysis and difference-in-differences analysis, this study examines the effectiveness of teleworking by comparing the informativeness of analysts’ online and offline corporate visits. An empirical analysis shows that analysts’ forecasts are accurate after offline visits. This finding suggests that teleworking is less productive than on-site work. We further exclude explanations on fatigue and affiliation and confirm this finding’s robustness with alternative forecast performance measures. Additionally, teleworking impacts forecast accuracy based on analyst experience, resources, firm visibility, and transparency. Our results reveal a potential channel through which the COVID-19 crisis influences capital market transparency and overall economic output.