Stressed home workers struggling with mental health

Stressed home workers are struggling to switch off during  COVID-19 lockdown and it’s impacting their mental health, according to the findings of a new study by cloud communications platform provider, 8×8.  

Almost half (42%) feel more stressed and overwhelmed than when in the office, blaming too many apps, a blurring of the lines between work and home life and difficulty unplugging.

The research, which surveyed 1,000 people working full-time from home since the pandemic hit, raises concerns about the mental state of the workforce as the country enters month three of enforced WFH. It also highlights the continuing need for employers to ensure staff at risk of burnout are properly supported.

• Majority using personal devices (67%) and personal communication apps (55%) for work

• 42% stressed and overwhelmed, citing too many tools, home-work blur and ‘always on’ day

• Kindness in isolation – many colleagues more caring towards one another in lockdown

• 55% think employers will offer more flexible working when COVID-19 threat subsides

Blurred lines

A blurring of the lines between personal and professional life (40%) and an inability to unplug from the ‘always on’ virtual working day (38%) were among the most commonly cited reasons for increased anxiety levels among the UK’s home workers, while over a third (36%) believe they are using too many different tools for workplace communication.

The difficulty separating work from home is being driven by a majority using personal devices (67%) and personal communication apps (55%) for work purposes, so it’s no surprise almost a fifth (18%) claim they are putting in longer hours since the move to home working.

Says Morgan Watts, Head of IT at 8×8:

“In the rush to equip teams for remote work, businesses may be guilty of overwhelming their employees with too many different new tools, or failing to clearly outline what is and is not approved for use.”

 “Businesses can help clear digital desktops by minimising the number of platforms employees are expected to use to collaborate and discourage personal communication apps for work purposes.”

 “This clear line of separation will make it easier to shut down and encourage a healthier work-life balance at a time when it’s needed most.” 

Digital tool overload and the cyber threat

A majority (62%) of those surveyed say they are now using more digital apps and tools in their jobs. 42% use between 6-15 different apps and platforms during their working day, while a small minority use between 16-20 (2%) or even more (1%).

This digital tool overload can increase the threat of cyberattack, according to Morgan Watts, Head of IT at 8×8:

“Working from home introduces cybersecurity gaps but ensuring a streamlined system of less, strictly approved tools will mitigate risk by shrinking the potential attack area. With no end in sight for home working, businesses should now be considering long-term solutions that not only keep their staff productive, but also secure.”  

Dangers to those in relationships

There’s also a spike that’s been seen in domestic abuse since the lockdown began. It’s important to be aware of the relationship you have or if you’ve noticed others expressing their concerns about their own relationships or partners. It’s good to understand what’s gaslighting? This is a typical method that abusers use to mentally abuse their partners.

Kindness in isolation

With ‘kindness’ as the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week this week, it is fitting that many employees have responded to lockdown by taking a more caring approach with their colleagues: 

• 31% say co-workers are taking more time to check-in on how they are feeling 
• 25% say co-workers are more likely to offer to help to one another 
• 24% say we have talked more as a company about mental health and well-being 

And even though teams are physically apart, the usage of remote working tools like video meetings has made many feel closer together – a fifth (20%) say they now know their co-workers better on a personal level.

A flexible future

The findings point to a more flexible future of work post-corona as attitudes shift.

Over half (55%) believe their employer will offer more flexible working after COVID-19, and 7% think they will even go a step further and introduce full-time remote working.

While the majority (58%) of respondents either never or rarely worked from home before the pandemic, there now seems a growing desire to change the status quo with 74% indicating they want more flexibility:

• 31% say they would like to work remotely once or twice a month
• 17% once a week
• 10% more than once a week
• 16% all the time

This is no surprise, considering 40% say working from home in the last couple of months has positively changed their perception of how productive they can be.