This archive report was first published on 15 May 2020.
Working from home has become the new normal, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. But while it offers many benefits, such as increased productivity and flexibility, it also brings big challenges.
According to research by Ajay Garg and Jan van der Rijst, employees are working longer hours, taking on more assignments, and feeling pressure to be constantly available. As one social media user, Bernard Moseti, put it: 'We are working longer hours than usual. Taking up assignments of up to three colleagues at ago. Everything sent on email is now an emergency.'
Technologies like email and teleconferencing can make it difficult to disconnect from work, leading to burnout, fogginess, and alienation. As an article in the New York Times noted, continual meetings via these platforms can cause burnout.
Women, in particular, are struggling with the challenges of working from home. A study I conducted in 2019 found that flexibility, which is often seen as a benefit of technology, can also be a curse for working women. As one female Facebook user pointed out, 'between homeschooling, housekeeping, working remotely and a one-week virtual office retreat they were undergoing, she felt like she was going to drop dead from fatigue.'
Employers are also facing challenges, including injured profits and a host of other business challenges. As a result, they may be summoning employees for virtual meetings and making extra demands on their time. But employees, who are already anxious about looming layoffs, pay cuts, and unpaid leave, may be dancing to the tune of their employers, leaving little time or room to experience the benefits of working from home.
It's time for employers to regard the physical and mental well-being of their employees as highly as they do Zoom meetings. By trusting that their employees are doing all they can at home to be worthy of employment, employers can help prevent burnout and create a healthier work environment.
