Remote and hybrid work arrangements can lead to social isolation, such as when workers show up to empty offices. Social coordination across employees is key.
The debate between remote versus in-office work is increasingly looking like a false dichotomy. While remote work reduces commute stress and increases family time, it can also lead to weakened organizational ties, social isolation and mental distress. Likewise, working on location in an office has its limitations, not the least of which is its inefficiency. SN’s Sujata Gupta dials in with the story.
😕 The digital social divide
An analysis of over 588,000 U.S. workers reveals that those in remote-friendly jobs such as software engineering or clerical work report higher levels of psychological distress compared with those in in-person roles. This is particularly acute for remote workers living alone, some of whom report going entire days without seeing another human being. Research shows that while productivity may remain steady, the loss of informal “watercooler” interactions removes the social scaffolding that facilitates creativity, innovation and belonging.
👫 Return-to-office or return-to-connection
The solution isn’t a mandatory return to the office, which often just leads to workers sitting alone in cubicles where they dial into Zoom calls with their remote colleagues. Rather, the researchers suggest there should be a deliberate design of social connection into the work week itself, regardless of where the laptop is physically located.
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