Remote workers have cut back on preparation time and here’s why that’s bad

There’s been enough research suggesting that workers are more productive working remotely than before the pandemic. They are happier at home where they’ve been able to carve out more of a work-life balance, and many want to keep working remotely after the pandemic.

But some things are being sacrificed due to working from home, like commutes, social interaction, and even job preparation.

Forty-four percent of workers said they are spending less time preparing for the workday while working remotely than before, according to a new study.

Joblist released a report that focused on how working remote impacts life outside your job, where it labeled the shift in work preparation as a “negative change,” which seems to impact both employer and employee.

While it remains unclear why workers are not dedicating as much time to preparing for work, there could be a few reasons behind the dramatic change, such as increased childcare responsibilities at home, the rise of burnout, and even working too much.

Often, workers tend to arrive to work early or prepare via commute for the day ahead, and while it sometimes seems part of the job, these hours are not normally compensated. While workers have argued that they should receive compensation for these prep hours, they are hard to prove in court unless they occur frequently.

The decrease in job prep isn’t the only negative change due to remote working. Workers said they are feeling more lonely (about a quarter of respondents), have experienced weight gain (21%), declining mental health (21%), and having sex less frequently (10%).

However, working remotely has been quite a boost to workers’ overall wellbeing; nearly half of respondents said that they are able to spend more time with their family, where they can catch up on watching television, or even reading more (25%).

While workers might be preparing less for the workday, that doesn’t mean they are working less. It’s been widely reported that workers are having a tough time turning off work while at home, with nearly half of respondents said that due to excessive workload they have to regularly work past office hours.

Thirty-eight percent said they felt pressured to do so, while another 34% said they thought it was the path toward promotion or a raise.

Although it remains unknown how long remote working will continue in 2021, workers are starting to poke their employer about paying up for some remote-work perks. Fifty-eight percent of participants said that their company should be paying for their internet, and another 35% said their company should provide an allowance for office furniture at home.

Twenty-one percent said they hoped to get days where there were no Zoom meetings, while 10% of respondents said they wanted an allowance for child care.