Years ago, a common thought from myself and my peers was, “Imagine if we could just
do our work from home”. The thought of not having to leave our homes to make a living was
very appealing! Now after the pandemic making such a thing is a reality. What are the effects
of these remote jobs on those who work them on a daily basis?
Remote Work Impacting Physical Health
Remote work has of course changed all aspects of the lives of people who work them.
But what did this change do to the physical health of these workers?
At the University of California in a study that consisted of 1000 participants, over 64% of
them reported at least one new physical health issue, 50% reported an increase in lower back
pain, and 42% reported increased shoulder pain. (SimplyBenefits, May 17 th , 2022)
Another study was done by Upright Pose with a survey of 2000 remote workers and hybrid
workers. The results of the study showed that 60% of employees cut their mobility by over 50%,
the average remote worker only took 16 steps from their bed to their workstation, 63% of the
remote workers walked only to use the bathroom, 50% reported an increase in lower back pain,
and 52% reported an increase in eye strain. (Forbes, Nov 1 st , 2021)
Remote Work Impacting Mental Health
Another part of our lives that can be impacted by continued remote work is our mental
health. Mental health is just as important as our physical health so it’s good to make sure if you
have a remote position at your job, you are taking care of yourself. I recently have had to make
the adjustment to working remotely, as I’ve never had a position that requires it. It’s easy to
find myself checking emails or double-checking work while off the clock by accident because
I’m in the same place as I would be when I’m on the clock.
Some issues that have been commonly reported by remote workers are things like
loneliness and isolation, as you may go days without talking to anyone if you don’t have to
leave the house. Anxiety and pressure from feeling the need to hustle all the time, and stress
from time management can add up as well. Issues like these have been known to lead to things
like depression, which is why it’s important to learn to disconnect from your job, balance your
time between work and home life, and find ways to get out whether it be through exercise or
other means. (We Work Remotely, Nov 18th , 2019)
The Positives of Remote Work
Not everything about remote work is a negative. If it was, we wouldn’t have it as an
option. Remote work does have positives to it, which make it an enticing option to some.
“Great Place to Work” did a study on employee productivity, and reported an increase
in the percentage of their employees that were actually productive. They also did a study in
which they learned that people that work remote jobs are more likely to get the job done and
are more quickly able to adapt to change needed for the company’s success. It was also noted
that a lot of employees felt like they were more cared for and “genuinely loved” at these
remote jobs than at jobs that weren’t remote. (Great Place to Work, Feb 10 th , 2021)
It is clear that there are positives and negative to remote jobs, and they both have their
own places in the world. It definitely shouldn’t be something that is forced upon employees
needlessly as it isn’t for everyone, but for those that enjoy remote work, it seems like it could
be worth it.
Physical Health info links:
https://www.simplybenefits.ca/blog/the-impact-of-remote-work-on-mental-and-physical-
wellness
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2021/11/01/new-research-shows-remote-and-
hybrid-workers-suffering-physical-and-mental-health-dilemmas/?sh=6050d1245aa9
Mental Health info links:
https://weworkremotely.com/how-to-keep-your-mental-health-in-check-when-you-work-from-
home#:~:text=Work%20from%20home%20depression%20can,depression%20or%20make%20it
%20worse.
Positives of Remote Work Links:
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources/blog/remote-work-productivity-study-finds-
surprising-reality-2-year-study