It’s a question organizations have grappled with for decades, sparking one workplace reinvention after another: private offices, cubicles, open floor plans, Silicon Valley–style campuses, and, more recently, hybrid-work arrangements.

Despite these efforts, surprisingly little is known about which workplace features foster high-performing teams.

To better understand what distinguishes exceptional teams from average ones, my team and I surveyed more than 6,000 knowledge workers across a wide range of industries and identified a small group of exceptionally effective teams. We then examined a variety of factors that explain their success, including leadership practices, team habits, work arrangements, and workplace amenities.

Within our study, participants indicated which of more than 20 workplace amenities were available where they work, from collaborative workspaces and private meeting rooms to office gyms, ping pong tables, and complimentary food and coffee.

Theoretically, any of these perks could elevate performance, either by creating opportunities for group bonding, improving workers’ wellbeing, or simply making it easier for people to do their best work.

But in our survey, only one consistently distinguished high-performing team: a quiet place to do focused work. Members of superteams were 52% more likely than average teams to report having access to a place where they could concentrate without interruption.

What does access to a quiet workspace have to do with teamwork?

The answer lies in recognizing that effective collaboration requires more than constant togetherness. Teams need opportunities to discuss ideas, coordinate their efforts, and make decisions. But they need individual members to think critically, solve problems, and execute those decisions. That work requires uninterrupted concentration, and a quiet workspace makes it possible.

The Remote-Work Debate Misses the Point

The desire for more focus is a major reason remote work is so appealing, especially for those whose offices leave little room for sustained concentration. Working from home eliminates many of the distractions that plague office life: background chatter, surprise drop-ins, the feeling of always being “on.”

Previous studies on remote work have produced mixed results when it comes to individual productivity, with some showing a boost of over 20% and others showing modest declines. In our study, therefore, we decided to focus on team rather than individual productivity: Where are high-performing teams more likely to emerge? Does collaborating in person give teams an advantage? Does working from home lead to better results? Or is the best option a hybrid arrangement that combines the structure of the office with the flexibility of home?

The answer is actually none of the above. We found superteams to be just as likely to be remote as they were to be hybrid or fully in-person.

That finding seems counterintuitive until you consider that every work arrangement creates its own obstacles to focused work. In-person teams struggle with interruptions, overheard conversations, and the expectation of constant availability. But remote and hybrid teams face a different set of challenges. Research suggests that employees working in hybrid environments increase their use of messaging and video calls, even on days when they are physically in the office. The result can be the worst of both worlds: Employees commute into the office only to spend much of the day in virtual meetings and responding to messages that leave little time for focused work.