A new study from economists at MIT and UCLA observed that data-entry workers were 18% less productive at home than they were in the office.Mayur Kakade/Getty Images A study from economists at MIT and UCLA found productivity dropped when people worked from home. The study observed groups of data-entry workers in India working from home and from the office. People who worked from home saw their productivity fall by 18%, the researchers said. The debate on workers returning to the office could end up centering on a debate about productivity.