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Since early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, remote work has become more popular. Before the pandemic, most organizations adhered to in-person office structures, with little to no opportunity for remote work. However, after the pandemic, remote work has increased since it allowed businesses to utilize the viability of a “work from home” setup, resulting in many companies adopting a hybrid or completely remote work arrangement. As a result of this newfound flexibility, employees found themselves multitasking with other household chores such as doing the dishes, a statistic true for nearly half of all remote workers. The switch to remote has also decreased the need for office buildings and commutes, resulting in less costs for the business and more time saved for the employees. However, even with all these benefits, remote work has disadvantages, ultimately proving that the traditional in-person lifestyle is more beneficial for a work-life balance.
One of the most significant aspects of in-person working is the structure it provides. Employees follow a strict schedule involving commuting, eating and sleeping. This set schedule, along with a physical office to leave by the end of the day, allows employees to physically disconnect from work, living a more focused life at home. In contrast, remote work is not held to such a schedule. In most cases, employees do not have to commute or wake up at a certain time. This freedom, although seemingly compelling, has been negatively impacting mental health. A record number of remote workers have said that it feels as if their workday never ends. As a result, they find themselves working longer hours, which increases their burnout. Studies have shown that a multitude of factors cause these burnouts, the most significant being the need for human connection. While working in person, employees have the ability to talk to one another and form real relationships. On the other hand, the same emotional and social connection cannot be formed during remote work, thus resulting in burnout.
Another result of the shift toward remote working is the increase in job demands, most notably job workload. With the increased use of technology, a heavier workload has been created in the name of efficiency. This “techno-overload” results in stressful situations that force employees to work longer and faster. One of the most significant contributing factors is the pressure employees feel to be constantly available. Hence, the techno-overload is directly tied to the isolation felt while working remotely. While in-person, employees have the freedom to walk around and talk to colleagues during the work day, all while still being productive. That same principle simply does not apply to remote work. Similarly, when working in person, colleagues are less likely to contact each other for work-related purposes outside of work hours.
Supporters of remote work focus on the time spent commuting to work being saved as a result of the remote work revolution. They argue that the time spent commuting can be used for other things, such as exercising or spending more time with family. A study found that employees saved about 72 minutes commuting to and from work each day by going remote. However, instead of using this extra time to do other activities, the study found that employees were simply using this time to work longer hours and accumulate more overtime. On another note, studies have found that the commute was a form of liminal space where employees had time to themselves and could mentally switch gears before going home. With this time not allotted for remote work, employees began to note blurred boundaries between work and home lives, resulting in higher stress.
While remote work offers undeniable conveniences such as reduced commute time and increased flexibility, it has also been seen to negatively impact employees’ work-life balance. In contrast, the traditional in-person structure may not have the same level of convenience, but it has been seen to impact employees’ work-life balance positively. In-person work environments allow for a clear structure of work, less overworking and time to disassociate from the work mindset to a home mindset. Remote work does not offer these advantages but seems to blur the lines between home and work life, resulting in a diminishing work-life balance.
