Research shows that Home Office makes workers happier

Remote work was an unattainable dream for many even before the Covid-19 pandemic. Four years ago, millions of people were suddenly able to avoid wasted hours commuting to work. Instead, they just had to get up and, still in their pajamas, turn on the computer to start the day. home office.

In parallel with the health situation, new habits and ways of socializing that have emerged, the coronavirus pandemic has also allowed many people to carry out their tasks outside the office. And many of them simply liked the possibility of working from home.

If this is already common sense observed by us on a daily basis, we had confirmation from a study by the University of South Australia. The Australian university’s research analyzed how remote work influenced people’s lives.

This study not only addressed the effects of remote work during the pandemic, but also began before it even began. When Covid spread, the team had already completed half of the research. During this period of quarantine, they examined the lifestyle and well-being of Australian adults and were able to observe changes from the beginning.

According to the results, interesting details were revealed in the first days of confinement. For example, the fact that people who worked from home slept almost half an hour more and also consumed more alcohol. Although some data were contradictory, the study showed more. This is because it proved that giving workers the flexibility to choose to work from home was also beneficial for their physical and mental health.

Less commuting time, more leisure

The study reveals that before the pandemic, the average Australian spent 4.5 hours a week commuting to work. Using this time for transportation, according to researchers, is related to worse mental health. Considering that many here in Brazil face this average daily, our Australian friends are complaining about “full bellies”.

The extra hours that are available with the home office (those that are not lost on public or private transport) can even be used to work more. However, the most positive point is to dedicate yourself to other activities or personal care.

For example, some people have used this additional time not only for essential leisure. This is because they also take the opportunity to change eating habits, such as reducing the consumption of quick snacks to eat healthier options, such as vegetables, fruits and dairy products – which can be prepared with more care at home.

The advantages and disadvantages of Home Office

This study confirms several things, such as the impact on mental health. For example, when it was necessary to work from home, such as at the beginning of the pandemic, mental health and well-being declined. However, when people were able to choose and decided to work from home, the effect was positive.

The survey also addressed other details, such as concerns about working from home. In such a way that it can negatively affect cohesion, team collaboration and social ties, as well as promotion opportunities. Despite this, the study indicates that although connection with colleagues is difficult to replicate remotely, work performance and productivity appear to remain stable and even improve when working from home.

Other details are also mentioned, such as that those people who work full-time from home or in a hybrid model have job satisfaction and greater well-being. The study concludes that the home office “seems to position itself as one option among many others to support a better, more inclusive and flexible work environment”despite the contrary opinion from Amazon and other large technology companies.