The key to employee productivity could be as simple as allowing them to change the temperature remotely.

New research conducted by Purdue University’s Center for High Performance Buildings shows workplace productivity and engagement improve when employees are given control over their workspace.

The study, which was sponsored by JLL, tracked findings through workplace sensors that measured how occupants engaged with things like lighting and temperature during a normal workday.

The findings showed that people who were able to easily control temperature and lighting from their computer were more actively engaged during the day than those who had to get up and use a traditional wall-mounted control.

The former also showed higher levels of productivity and had better cognitive test results than the group that did not have direct control over their surroundings.

“By giving people the choice to use more daylight and feel more connected to the outdoor environment, you can optimize productivity and use less energy,” CHPB researcher and associate professor Panagiota Karava said in a statement.

Researchers will now be implementing these techniques in real office environments with the hopes of eventually using this data to create smart-building technologies.