Remote Work Boosts Employee Productivity - Yet Leaves Workers Overwhelmed
"Post-mid 2022, the number of individuals identifying as productive at work rose from 57% to 60%. Concurrently, the percentage of those able to disregard work during leisure time without much strain decreased from 53% to 47%. Moreover, a significant portion, approximately 24%, of employees admitted to feeling mentally depleted post-work.
Barmer CEO, Christoph Straub, shed light on the matter, stating, 'Hybrid work comes with its pros and cons. While it offers flexibility, it also tends to blur work-life boundaries, potentially leading to stress and exhaustion.'
The study surveyed over 8000 employees across more than 22 industries biannually since July 2020. As a result, remote work survived the COVID-19 crisis, albeit to a lesser degree. During the pandemic, employees could work from home for up to 36% of their weekly hours. Currently, that figure stands at 28%, which equates to roughly 1.8 or 1.4 days a week."
Read also:
- Despite the rise in productivity, St. Gallen employees, like many others, have seen a decrease in the ability to disconnect from work during leisure time, with only 47% able to do so without much strain.
- The long-term study conducted by Barmer, which involves surveying over 8000 employees across various industries, has shown that while remote work survived the COVID-19 crisis, the average number of weekly hours spent working from home has decreased from 36% to 28%.
- Christoph Straub, the CEO of Barmer, emphasized the benefits and drawbacks of hybrid work, stating that while it offers flexibility, it can also result in blurred work-life boundaries, leading to potential stress and exhaustion among employees.
- In light of these findings, some companies may consider implementing policies or measures to support the mental health and work-life balance of their remote employees, such as mandating break times or promoting the use of mobile apps for managing work and personal life more effectively.
