The ongoing post-pandemic transition from employees working full-time in the office (or equivalent workplace) to more regularly working from home, aka remote working, has been met with many concerns, objections, and even scaremongering by employers.<\/span><\/p>\n However, many of the arguments against remote working seem to be emotional, or even ideological, <\/span>rather than rational.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Accordingly, workers have been passionately resisting plans to reduce\u00a0<\/span>their\u00a0<\/span>remote working arrangements.<\/span><\/p>\n But looking beyond accusations <\/span>of lazy employees<\/span>,<\/span> or greedy landlords and managers, what does the <\/span>actual science say?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The issue of productivity has long been a primary focus of the world of work. Logically, employers want employees to be as productive as possible, because the organisation wants to get as much done as possible for the same wage bill. However, this obsession isn\u2019t always helpful, or even rational. <\/span><\/p>\n Many persistent (and annoying) productivity myths have ended up circulating in society. You could even argue that the modern management obsession with \u2018employee happiness\u2019 is more about increasing productivity than any genuine concern for employees and their wellbeing.<\/span><\/p>\n Predictably, the debate around working from home quickly became embroiled with concerns about productivity. The thinking was that workers wouldn\u2019t get as much done when deprived of the resources of the workplace, the necessary management structure, the vital interactions with co-workers, and so on. Except that\u2019s apparently not true.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Surveys reveal most remote workers report being equally, if not more productive. There are many factors that could be behind this, such as improved diet, better sleep, more exercise, greener environments and\u00a0<\/span>pleasant\u00a0<\/span>background music. All of these and more are linked to improved productivity<\/a>, and are much<\/span>\u00a0more<\/span>\u00a0accessible for an employee when they don\u2019t have to commute, or conform to the rigid rules or strict hierarchies of many workplaces.<\/span><\/p>\n Read more about productivity:<\/strong><\/p>\n Granted, many remote workers report being less productive when working from home. And again, many factors could be behind this, like\u00a0<\/span>an\u00a0<\/span>unsuitable home environment, or roles that aren\u2019t as suitable for a remote setup. <\/span><\/p>\n But one interesting study revealed that home workers who reported reduced productivity also reported worse mental health<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>n this case, is poor mental health a cause or effect of reduced productivity? Remember, most of the up-to-date data on this subject was obtained mid-pandemic, a context that led to widespread harm to mental health<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps for many workers, being unable to work effectively from home amplified insecurities about career and finances, therefore increasing anxiety and reducing <\/span>mental health?<\/span>\u00a0But<\/span>\u00a0remote workers reporting increased productivity<\/span>\u00a0were also experiencing the same scenario<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n Maybe the relief of keeping\u00a0<\/span>their<\/span>\u00a0job during such fraught times, and not having to mix with co<\/span>\u2013<\/span>workers, caused reduced stress<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and subsequent perceived increases in productivity? Everyone\u2019s situation will have been unique, so it\u2019s hard to say for sure. While many are saying working from home will \u2018stick\u2019, it\u2019ll be interesting to\u00a0<\/span>see how it affects productivity going forwards.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Why did the pandemic and lockdowns negatively affect mental health<\/span>\u00a0for so many people<\/span>? One reason was the increased loneliness and isolation<\/a>. We humans are social creatures<\/span>\u00a0who<\/span>\u00a0thrive on interactions with others. If we\u2019re denied them (by social-distancing laws, for example), our mental health suffers.<\/span><\/p>\n Similarly, interactions with other<\/span>\u00a0people<\/span>\u00a0are key aspects of many modern jobs. Whether collaborating on projects, discussing strategies, planning construction<\/span>s<\/span>, presenting information, dealing with medical emergencies or getting constructive feedback as part of your developmen<\/span>t,\u00a0<\/span>it\u2019s vanishingly rare that a worker can do their job<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with no involvement from anyone<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Subsequently<\/span>, those who object to remote working argue that it prevents effective communication, cooperation and collaboration between workers. And according to the data, they\u00a0<\/span>do\u00a0<\/span>have a point.<\/span><\/p>\n A<\/span>\u00a0major stud<\/span>y<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>published in\u00a0<\/span>Nature Human Behaviour<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in September 2021\u00a0<\/span>revealed that when 60,000+ Microsoft employees worked remotely during the pandemic, communication between employees and groups slowed down<\/a>, and became more formulaic and self-contained. Other studies show that team performance is reduced when some<\/a><\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>all members work remotely.<\/span><\/p>\n Humans have spent millions of years communicating face-to-face, and as far as our brains are concerned, modern technology, however advanced and sophisticated, still cannot faithfully replicate all the rich and subtle cues it involves.\u00a0<\/span>While<\/span>\u00a0things like social media can help with loneliness,\u00a0<\/span>they can\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0alleviate it entirely.<\/span><\/p>\n Read more about online communication:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMany people reported feeling exhausted from a day spent on Microsoft Teams<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d says Dr Chris Blackmore<\/a>, a mental health specialist from the University of Sheffield.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Was it the level of attention needed to really engage with online meetings? The demands of listening, and keeping track of multiple voices? Or an increased background of anxiety, both from the pandemic and from new ways-of-being<\/span>?\u00a0<\/span>For some people, the lack of physical presence and reduced body language was a barrier. They missed something about the workplace \u2013 the buzz of bumping into people, having impromptu conversations, the small talk and informal chats. This may be hard to put a value on, but\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>can contribute to a feeling of belonging.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n While in-person engagement is the ideal, studies suggest technological communication methods, particularly multisensory ones like video calls, can help people form useful social connections<\/a> and deliver viable feedback.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This issue should also be placed in a wider context. Yes, employers may not like how employees aren\u2019t collaborating as much when working from home, but how much of their role actually requires collaboration?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u2018Higher-ups\u2019 may relish holding meetings and all-day<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>events, but more typical workers often bemoan the amount of time spent in long-winded meetings that could have been an email.\u00a0<\/span>If interaction and collaboration is something that\u2019s expected of employees, rather than actually required, remote working would mean they get more done.<\/span><\/p>\n Even if collaboration is a welcome and necessary part of a role, remote working can still mean enhanced performance overall. <\/span>A study published in\u00a0<\/span>PLOS One<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in March 2021 suggests<\/span>\u00a0that the drop in more collaborative performance is\u00a0<\/span>balanced by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>an\u00a0<\/span>enhanced output on<\/span>\u00a0tasks<\/span> that require a more <\/span>focused,\u00a0<\/span><\/a>individual approach.<\/span><\/p>\n Ultimately, remote working seemingly has a negative impact on worker communication and collaboration. But when you consider that\u00a0<\/span>some<\/span> of this \u2018communication\u2019 will have been deemed unnecessary, or even counterproductive, this isn\u2019t necessarily <\/span>a bad thing.<\/span><\/p>\n A good work-life balance is difficult to achieve at the best of times, given the aforementioned obsession with \u2018productivity\u2019 in most workplaces, but the impact of remote working has received a lot of attention. <\/span>H<\/span>ow\u00a0<\/span>can<\/span>\u00a0you maintain a work-life balance when both occur in the same place?<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not just a rhetorical question; it makes scientific sense, given what we know about human psychology and neurology. Our brains organise the information we use to navigate the world, and the events we experience, by way of cognitive frameworks labelled \u2018schemas\u2019.<\/span>![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2022\/08\/are-remote-workers-less-productive-6901121.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C466"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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Are remote workers less productive?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Can remote workers communicate effectively?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Does working from home offer a better work-life balance?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n