Oooof, this “research” is just so very reductive.
“Not even like a wave to a barista, not somebody also checking for ripeness of the avocados at the grocery store,” says Emanuel. “Just no human contact at all.”
Hot take: waving at a barista or witnessing a fellow shopper check avocados doesn’t count as “human contact”.
Remote workers aren’t making up for that lost social connection by socializing after work, she adds. “We even see a decrease in spending time with friends after the work day relative to people in non-remotable occupations.”
Shouting extra loud for the people in the back: We’re in the middle of an affordability crisis, you idiots, and there are way fewer Third Places around than ever before!!
Commuting solves nothing, and only exasperates a whole host of other issues.
If we’re serious about improving mental health, the last thing anyone should be recommending is Office Jobs
Lol “People were getting mental health support” as a way to discredit WFH is truly a hot take.
Written by an extrovert.
Sounds like it’s tough to be forced to a lifestyle that doesn’t match your social needs. To that I say, “welcome to the club, it sucks.” ~ a left handed introvert
“Everybody wants to know how is that changing things? And usually the answer is we can’t really tell,” he explains. “We can’t really tell because people weren’t randomly assigned to work from home or not as a terrible experiment.”
This seems to be the crux of it. And without a measure of change between clear conditions, it’s just pontificating.
I do like spending time with my coworkers when I go into the office.
But, I often feel more isolated when I’m around a group of people I don’t connect with. And the shift to open office plan seating was grueling, certainly added to my frustration/stress. A productive day at home where I interact with exactly nobody is the dream.
I wonder how much of the increase in mental health interventions is increased need, and how much could actually be a benefit of WFH. Much easier to duck out for a doctor’s visit or have a telehealth therapy visit during the day when at home is my feeling.
