WORLD NEWS
Does working from home cause loneliness? Ordering to go to work alone did not solve the problem
A long-term analysis found that loneliness and mental distress increased in the early days of the pandemic for those in occupations where working from home increased, but the difference with those in those in commuting occupations disappeared by 2023.
This does not mean that working from home is good for everyone, nor does it mean that commuting to work is useless, but it does mean that it is difficult to explain social isolation solely by the place of work.
What and how did you compare?
Researchers compared changes in loneliness and mental health in jobs that allowed people to work from home and in jobs that were difficult in a long-term household survey in the UK. By tracking the same people from before to after the pandemic, we looked at trends of change rather than a simple one-point survey.
What was different at first?
In the early days of the sudden lockdown and shift to working from home, isolation and mental distress were greater in those with jobs that could work from home. However, over time, as work and lifestyles adapted, the relative difference narrowed, leaving no significant worsening in 2023.
Why isn’t it solved just by going to work?
Even if you go to the office, you can work alone if your colleagues come to work on different days or if your meetings are online. Conversely, regular team collaboration and local connections can help you stay connected even while working from home. The frequency and quality of relationships are more important than physical location.
For whom may the results be different?
Younger new hires, people living alone, people with caring responsibilities and long-distance commuters may experience the same policy differently. Because career choice and health status influence the likelihood of working from home, it is difficult to completely isolate individual causal effects through research alone.
What should the company change?
Rather than just setting aside the number of days to come to work, you need to intentionally plan time for your team to be together, mentoring, informal conversations and focused work time. Looking at options and work characteristics together and checking for signs of isolation is a more direct response than en masse attendance.