After the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions out of offices for more than a year but enabled them to work remotely, experts have predicted that work will increasingly be done from home.
Yes, many employers were shocked at how quickly they would have to provide remote workers with the tools they would need to work from home. But after 19 months into the pandemic with most having settled into the remote workflow, some office-based teams then realized that employees are equally productive and focused when away from their desks. In many cases, they were even more productive. The concept of remote work became widely understood by employers everywhere.
However, a study by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that homeworkers worked longer hours for less reward than their colleagues at traditional offices.
So could working from home actually mean more work for you?
Think of the following questions and how they apply to your present work situation:
- Are you working more than you would in the office?
- Are there any associated health risks to working more from home?
- What do you need to be aware of to stay healthy while working from home?
For many people, the answer to question number one is an absolute “yes.”. A study of people who work from home primarily, occasionally, or recently found that they worked a mean of six hours of unpaid overtime a week. Nearly twice as many as those who had never worked remotely in the past. People working from home during the pandemic were also more likely to work in the evenings, and beyond their “normal” finishing time because they no longer had to take time to commute to and from a workplace.
Conclusion
Millions of employees were forced into working from home because of the pandemic, but it is by no means the only reason to pursue or continue a remote position.
Many are enjoying benefits like less commute time, more family time, more home-cooked meals, and a comfortable work environment. However, be sure to set boundaries with your employer when it comes to working hours, requests, and scheduling, along with establishing good habits like stretching, incorporating regular movement into your schedule, and allowing yourself time away from the screen.