Feeling Lonely and Isolated Moreover, working from home may mean that some people don't speak to anyone the whole day, and studies show that this lack of interaction can affect our physical and mental health. According to researchers, when we interact with others, we feel calmer.
LONELINESS AND ISOLATION
You could spend days not talking to anyone when you don't have to go anywhere to work. Although you bypass distracting coworkers, you do miss the social aspect of chatting and venting about work and life when you're remote. This camaraderie doesn't translate the same way over Slack.
Fully remote (40 percent) and hybrid work (38 percent) are associated with an increased likelihood of anxiety and depression symptoms compared to in-person work (35 percent), according to an analysis by the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), an Oakland, Calif. -based nonprofit research organization.
Remote work removes the chance interactions that occur between coworkers in an office setting, sometimes resulting in feelings of isolation and loneliness. Many employees may also struggle to separate their professional and personal lives and extend their work hours, leading to burnout and sleep deprivation.
What is the WFH syndrome? WFH is tough for many people to adapt. To put it simply, the WFH syndrome is depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and fatigue all mixed into one. A person who WFH often multitasks work and home chores to the point where they never really get sufficient time to relax.
Both managers and non-managers reported exhaustion associated with increased working hours and long periods of work without taking leave. Negative physical health outcomes such as increased musculoskeletal pain and weight gain. A decrease in productivity, due to negative mental wellbeing effects of work from home.
Half of employees feel more productive when working from home, research finds. While one fifth (20 per cent) of employees are burned out at work, half (51 per cent) feel more productive when working from home, a study has found.
Remote working ability really makes people happier
While 81% of respondents said the opportunity to work from home would make them feel more equipped to deal with work/life conflicts. Remote workers are 22% happier with their jobs than on-site workers.
3. Insufficient Structure. Employees who work from home feel less productive and less motivated due to the lack of structure. Working at the office seems to take much less time than working from home for eight hours.
Although remote working has generally been proven to improve work-life balance and happiness, research consistently shows isolation is one of its biggest drawbacks. Over a third of those working remotely said the setup made them feel lonely, in Glassdoor's 2022 survey of people in full-time employment.
Are Remote Workers Happier? A survey report conducted by Owl labs suggests remote workers are happier and stay in their jobs longer. They also found that workers who were working at home reported being happy 22% more than workers who always work in an onsite office environment.
Remote work burnout statistics show that 48% of remote employees feel that they have no emotional support from their employers. Without personal interaction with managers and co-workers, it's difficult for them to know there's anything wrong or that you need support.
The not-so-subtle irony of remote work is this: When working from home, it can prove difficult for co-workers, managers, family, and friends alike to respect your boundaries. Employees often encounter bigger interruptions, miss more lunch hours, and put in longer days than they ever did back at the office.
Change could be coming for remote workers. The golden age of remote work seems to be ending. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that even tech firms (the first industry that told employees they could work from home forever just a few years ago) are getting engineers and project managers back in the office.
Working from home can have benefits and perks that some of us enjoy (bye bye commute!), but a change like this can be challenging too and can have a big impact on our mental health. It can cause stress, a lack of motivation, anxiety and uncertainty.
Eliminate Workspace Stressors
In contrast, working remotely generally allows for a quieter, more subdued atmosphere, reducing the likelihood of sensory overload and the associated feelings of stress and anxiety.
Your productivity skyrockets when working in an environment that has decreased distractions. Working from home gives you the space to think critically and perform better. You're thrilled with the prospect of working for a company you admire without being limited by your geographical location.
Remote working doesn´t lead to less productivity or motivation. According to a recent study by Michael Page it has the opposite effect, as many employees who work from home report that they are more motivated, productive and satisfied than before.