The recent working-from-home spike has the potential to reset workplace structures, Centre for Corporate Wellbeing's founder and organisational psychologist Joanne Abbey said.

"I do think it will have a lasting impact," she told AAP on Wednesday.

"A lot of people I speak to say working in an office is extremely distracting and noisy, and are far more productive in a quiet space.

"How many times have you sat in a meeting wasting time, sometimes not even participating? But you sit there because of social pressure, this idea that it's the right thing to do."

Ms Abbey pointed to a Stanford University study which assessed a workforce split into two groups, and found workers based at home were more effective than those in an office.

While managers don't always trust their employees to work from home, the study showed workers not only consistently completed their eight-hour shift, but were more effective than those on work premises.

But according to Rachel Clements, National Director of psychological services at the Centre for Corporate Health, there's a tipping point for productivity at home.

"Workplace flexibility is a wonderful thing, but there's a cut-off point, and a lot of personality types do not thrive in this environment, extroverts tend to go stir-crazy."

Working from home for more than three days decreases feelings of wellbeing and productivity, she said.

With the threat of coronavirus making many organisations shift to work-from-home mode, Ms Clements believes it is a good opportunity to test how the model could work in the future.

And while she acknowledges it could lower overhead costs like rent and electricity, she cautioned against working outside of a communal space in the long term.

"When people connect in a meaningful way we release the hormone oxytocin, and this makes us feel like we can cope, it gives us a boost, and a belief in ourself and we feel so much better."

When people are separated from one another it can trigger feelings of disconnection and unease, Ms Clements said.

"We're seeing this (outcome) only a couple of weeks in for some people. I've seen a spike in levels of anxiety and alcohol misuse as a coping strategy."

For one Sydney woman, who asked to remain anonymous, she's worried working from home will lead to feelings of loneliness.

"I'm a single person living in an apartment, I want to get out of the house, I'm not happy when I'm home for long periods of time," she said.

"Some people thrive in these environments but I really don't."

Australian Associated Press