A survey by Aviva - who polled 2,000 workers - found that employees were happier before the pandemic.
The report revealed several key findings - including the fact that 52 per cent of employees agree that the boundaries between work and home are becoming increasingly blurred; 54 per cent state that their employer has worked hard to create a sense of company togetherness, despite only 15 per cent agreeing that their employer understands what motivates them - and whilst 43 per cent described their wellbeing as less than good, 84 per cent stated they would carry on working even if they felt unwell.
Almost half - 44 per cent - felt they never fully switched off from work. The problem was worse among 18 to 24 year-olds, 63 per cent of whom said they regularly checked their emails outside working hours. Of those employees, 25 per cent felt they were unprepared financially for unexpected events, such as serious illness, accident or redundancy.
The poll also found that 58 per cent of employees felt they were neglecting their physical health and 55 per cent felt they were neglecting their mental health because of the pressures of work. In addition, 43 per cent said they were troubled by how much their work interfered with their personal life.
Rachel Suff - Senior Employee Relations Adviser at the CIPD - said home working could lead to work intensification and urged managers to take action to prevent this.
She stated:
“Managers play a crucial role in helping to counter the ‘always on’ mindset by making sure their teams have a structure to their day that draws a clear line between work and downtime. It's also essential for managers to make sure workloads are manageable and that they have regular one-to-ones to check up on people's wellbeing.”
Kathryn Dombrowicz - Therapy Consultant at The Soke - said it was important to set clear boundaries around working hours, particularly in the current crisis.
She stated:
“Psychologically, employees might feel a need to prove their productivity while home working, perhaps feeling their jobs are at risk.”
She added that a lack of a ‘clear geographical boundary’ between work and home can contribute to staff finding they never fully detach. Employers should be aware of unusual employee activity - such as increased emails outside of working hours and during lunch and set boundaries.
“Managers need to set realistic and clear expectations for their staff, to help them understand what exactly is required of them. Additionally, managers could implement regular slots with their teams to touch base about how they are coping at home and identify how they can best support each other.”
