Remote Work Comes With a Little-Known Downside
Newser • • business
Key Points:
- A study led by Federal Reserve Bank of New York economist Natalia Emanuel, published in Science, reveals that remote work increases productivity and work-life balance but also significantly raises time spent alone and worsens mental health.
- Remote workers experienced a 58% increase in hours spent alone and a 72% higher risk of spending an entire day without in-person interaction compared to office workers.
- The rise in remote work from 7% in 2019 to 28% in 2023 correlates with a broader increase in psychological distress following the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Despite high job satisfaction and flexibility, remote workers reported more emotional distress, increased use of mental health services, and psychiatric medications.
- Researchers caution that while telework is welcomed, its long-term isolation effects are underestimated, with recommendations for remote workers to seek daily human interaction.