Working from home can come with both benefits and challenges for staff.
The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) conducted a survey which found that overall, more people felt working from home was better for their health and wellbeing (45%), compared to around one third (29%) who thought working from home was worse for their health and wellbeing.
However, people who switched to working from home as a result of Covid-19 had experienced health and wellbeing impacts, with the most common being:
- Feeling less connected to colleagues (67%)
- Taking less exercise (46%)
- Developing musculoskeletal problems (39%)
- Disturbed sleep (37%)
In order to tackle these issues, the RSPH is encouraging employers to make sure that:
- All employees have access to mental health support to help them to cope with increased isolation and anxiety.
- All employees to have access to equipment and a remote assessment to support them with their physical health.
- Organisations to develop a culture which encourages employees to block their work communications outside of work hours.