If you’re not working you shouldn’t be tied to your digital device or worrying about work

The Royal Society for Public Health UK today has a survey out looking at the mental and physical health impact of the increase in working from home.

One of the key findings was that while a lot of people prefer working from home, 56% struggled to switch off. Only a third were offered mental health support from their employer and women were more likely to report negative effects such as isolation and Musculo-skeletal problems.

Andrew Pakes, Prospect Research Director, said:

“The strains of home working are beginning to show even if it is keeping people safe. This is an important report highlighting the impacts of the always-on culture, isolation and hidden overtime.

“Over half of people working from home say they find it hard to switch off and separate work from home. Employers and government need to listen to workers and involve unions to help create a new normal coming out of the pandemic which addresses these concerns and creates the flexibility workers want.

“One of the first things we can do as a nation is to give people a legal right to disconnect and switch off. We need to end the blurred line between work and home.  If you’re not working you shouldn’t be tied to your digital device or worrying about work.

“Many people prefer working from home and want it to continue, at least in hybrid form, but we can’t allow inequality and harm to become hardwired into the new normal.”