This study examines the impact of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic on the research productivity of knowledge workers, focusing on 1,259 business school faculty members from 45 universities ranked by The JoongAng Daily. Using research data from 2016 to 2023, the analysis divides the timeline into three periods: pre-pandemic (2016–2019), pandemic (2020–2021), and post-pandemic (2022–2023). A Pre-Event, Event, and Post-Event Analysis was conducted to evaluate changes across these periods. The findings reveal a significant increase in research productivity during the pandemic period when remote work was widely adopted, particularly for assistant professors. However, research output declined after the transition back to on-site work in the post-pandemic period, eventually returning to pre-pandemic levels. Notably, assistant professors experienced a sharp productivity increase during 2020–2021 and a steep decline after the resumption of on-site work in 2023. This study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of remote work, demonstrating its positive impact on the productivity of knowledge workers during periods of disruption. These findings offer meaningful theoretical and practical implications for designing hybrid work models and exploring the relationship between remote work and productivity in knowledge-intensive roles.