Will working from home make us unhealthy?

One of the biggest changes since the pandemic has been the shift to remote work.

Although the measure was welcomed by many, it also changed the labor landscape.

In fact, the results of a survey published in May showed that almost half (47%) of UK office workers would be willing to leave their current jobs and seek new opportunities if their employers didn’t offer them flexibility.

This is largely due to increased flexibility and productivity, but the real long-term impact on workers is difficult to measure.

To the contrary, recent studies show that some workers have actually become unhealthy since the start of the pandemic, when working from home became the norm.

A study of 2,000 remote and flexible workers by Censuswide and Cignpost Diagnostics found that stress particularly affects remote workers.

Fifty percent of those surveyed say stress at work has a negative impact on their health, rising to 57% among female employees.

Additionally, 45% of telecommuters have missed work in the past year due to medical issues, 24% of which are due to mental health issues or stress.

Another study by the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP) in May found that working from home had a negative impact on workers’ sleep. It means that they were fighting to separate.

Dennis Keenane, immunologist and founder of Cignpost Diagnostics, says this is likely due to a “sedentary and sometimes isolated lifestyle.” [which] The health and well-being of employees can be seriously affected.

he says the following: This can lead to additional pressure, stress and possible burnout.

Long work hours also contribute to the fact that 55% of respondents with health problems said it took them four weeks to see a medical professional due to time constraints.

Dennis adds that limiting face-to-face interaction, spending too much time in front of screens, and spending less time outdoors are likely to exacerbate these issues.

Placing people’s workspaces in their homes has also been found to have “devastating effects” on their health.

In 2018, 81% of office workers reported spending 4-9 hours every day sitting at their desks.

Whose fault is it

Findings from Cignpost Diagnostics show that 42% exercise more and 44% eat better, even though workers have spent more time improving their health since the pandemic.

For Dennis, this indicates that employers may not support the health and well-being of their employees, and a quarter of those surveyed agree.

In light of the findings, he says employers need to capitalize on positive changes in employee wellness attitudes. Lifestyle.

It continues: “Employers have a responsibility to help and find new solutions to keep staff mentally and physically happy in the post-pandemic period. It can include regular health checks preferred by

“It’s clear that employee expectations have changed since the pandemic,” he adds.

“Employers must offer higher-than-competitive salaries to retain and attract new talent.

Investments to support employee health and wellness must be a priority for employers.

“Preventive health measures, such as regular health checks, are one way to promote a healthy and safe workforce.

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