As states shut down in response to the initial threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers made the sudden decision to switch employees to remote work. While many have found success with the transition, the remote work environment has created a number of new causes of stress for employees, including the blurring of work/life balance and the disruption of their normal routines.
“The stressors from working from home are interesting in that it’s just something we’re not used to,” says Debora Roland, vice president of human resources at CareeArc. “Anything from being on Zoom calls and having your kids playing in the background or having the dog bark, to having to manage just the day-to-day issues while at home and not being able to focus completely on the work product can be a challenge, and that stresses people out. They think, ‘Am I doing a good job, either at home or at work?’
Adding to the disruption in the daily work routine are the disruptions to daily life: the pandemic has changed how we interact with our friends and family, and the election, economy and a whole list of other uncertainties are making employees worry about what the future has in store for them.
Listen to Ms. Roland and managing editor Emily Payne discuss the causes of stress in today’s office environment, as well as their impact on worker health and productivity.
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