Telecommuting Is Here To Stay
If toxic workplaces do not change their culture
Years before the pandemic, many business owners have already begun outsourcing their projects to remote workers. Thanks to technology, telecommuting has been made possible, and this article will unravel the causes why it is here to stay, even after the end of this pandemic.
Technology has made it plain-sailing for employees to work from home, and increasingly, there are independent contractors anywhere in the world today. Because of the advancement of telecommunications, people can carry out their tasks from the comfort of their homes, no matter which country they reside in.
Over the past year, telecommuting has become the new normal. However, now that more and more people are being inoculated, workers are now slowly going back to the office. But a lot of them are now thinking about whether they want to return to the old normal or not anymore.
Toxic for Mental Health
Job is vital for survival. If we do not have a stable one, we will not be able to meet our ends. More so, health is essential for us to do our job. If we do not have good health, then how can we do our job effectively? How can we be productive?
Recent research done in the University of South Australia, published in the BMJ Open on June 23, 2021, revealed that toxic workplaces are dangerous to mental health. Researchers found that workers who go to their workplaces with poor management practices, bullying, and failure to prioritize employees — in other words, toxic, are three times more likely to suffer from depression.
Additionally, they discovered a link between working long hours and depression. Surprisingly, they noted that men are more likely to become depressed at work than women if their workplace ignores their employees’ well-being.
If a person’s workplace is a toxic one, it is reasonable for him to not go back to his office job, and continue to work from home.
For example, in my case, I worked in the office for two years after working from home for five years. I wanted to figure out if working in the office would be better for my family. It worked out well. I mean, I was able to manage juggling work and raising children.
However, I noticed I still earned the same income but more tired. I got promoted three times, but the salary did not reasonably increase. I became important to them but only because I was convenient for them and not because of my contributions. The stress I felt in the office was much worse than the stress I had at home.
Well, there is no easy job. But surely, we as individuals are capable make the situation comfortable and conducive for work. It is a big decision we have to think about seriously.
So when I got the opportunity to work from home due to lockdown restrictions, I realized, now that my kids are growing up to pre-teens, I can now work in a quiet space at home. I can avoid all the hassles of commuting. I have managed to find an opportunity so, what’s the need to go back to the office?
Though not everyone has the same situation. Other people might find it hard to convince their employers to let them continue telecommuting even after the pandemic.
If employees are not happy, mistreated, and burnt out, and their employers do not give a damn, then their mental health is at serious risk.
To avoid this unlikely circumstance, companies should better reward or acknowledge their employees for working hard. They should eliminate unreasonable demands on employees. They should at least give their employees liberty and a chance to be just themselves. Who knows, they might become more productive if they know that their ideas will be welcomed.
Toxic due to workplace germs
Because of coronavirus, people have become more aware of cleanliness now more than ever. If we want to avoid germs, the best thing to avoid is staying home. Of course, it is important to clean our surroundings and wash our hands. These things are easier done in our own house than in the workplace.
Unfortunately, a lot of things in the workplace are covered in germs, and even with all the strict health protocols, there will always be people who do not care about cleanliness.
Elevator buttons, doorknobs, keyboards, and even your own coffee mugs in the office carry germs.
To eliminate workplace germs, companies should be more strict in observing cleanliness. For instance, they should provide and install a dishwasher so that workers do not have to use dirty sponges in washing the coffee mugs.
Toxic long hours of work
The World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization have said that working long hours is causing the premature death of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
The study was probed using the data from 59 studies into ischemic heart disease and strokes, taking in more than 1.6 million participants.
The information was based on more than 2,300 surveys collected in 154 countries worldwide between 1970 and 2018.
To prevent this kind of death, employers should not allow or at least put a limit on their employees’ working hours. This would even be beneficial for them because it has been shown to increase employee productivity.
Conclusion
In this world-embracing the new normal, it is easy to believe that telecommuting is here to stay.
Companies should better change their toxic culture if they want their employees to remain working in their offices.
Stable mental health, clean surroundings, and reasonable working hours are essential factors for employees to maintain their productivity and motivation.
Nevertheless, if workplaces continue to practice toxic office culture, then surely, many employees would prefer the work-from-home set-up.
Let me leave you a quote to end this story.
“When a workplace becomes toxic, its poison spreads beyond its walls and into the lives of its workers and their families.” ― Gary Chapman
Thank you for reading my story.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021002208
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/6/e044133
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