Exploring the Impact of Remote Work on Mental Health and the Workplace

ByJessica Howington, Senior Content Manager

The workplace has undergone a rapid and dramatic transformation, leaving virtually no working professional untouched. To gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape and the perspectives of those navigating it, FlexJobs conducted a Work Insights Survey in the spring of 2023.

From May 3, 2023, to May 21, 2023, FlexJobs gathered responses from over 5,600 working professionals. The survey inquired about the impact of recent workforce changes on mental health and explored attitudes toward remote work. This helped identify common challenges and professionals’ outlooks on their careers.

Mental Health and the Workplace

One of the more positive ways the workplace has changed is by focusing more on mental health. Through the survey, working professionals shared their perspectives on how differentworking arrangementsand commuting affects their mental health. They also stated the many benefits experienced through remote work. The biggest takeaway:56% said having a remote job has improved or would “definitely” improve their mental health.

—Working Arrangements Impact Mental Health

When and where people get their work done has asignificant impact on their well-beingand personal productivity levels. This was made clear by96% of respondents sharing that a remote or hybrid working arrangement would best support their mental health. Below is a breakdown of where respondents cited their mental health as being best supported.

47% Remote only/completely working from home
24% Hybrid/mostly remote (occasional in-office)
17% Hybrid/remote (2-3 days in-office)
8% Hybrid/mostly in-office (occasional remote)
4% In-office/no remote work

—Commuting Impacts Stress Levels

Commuting is a huge stressor for most working professionals, with87% of respondents stating commuting impacts their stress levels to some degree. And the longer the commute, the more impact it has. Here’s a snapshot of theimpact commuting has on mental health and stress levels:

29% Impacts stress levels enormously
29% Impacts stress levels a lot
29% Impacts stress levels a little
13% Doesn’t impact stress levels

—Notable Health Benefits of Remote Work

Working remotely has been shown to deliver a range ofpositive effects for workers, including health benefits. Whiledecreased stress was the top health benefit of working remotely (48%), there are several others that survey respondents cited. Below are the other top benefits reported.

Impacts of Remote Work

远程工作长期以来梦寐以求的在工作场所. As it has become more widely accepted by employers, more and more professionals arelooking to work remotelyin some capacity. Below is a bit of what was learned through the survey responses.

—Ideal Work Environment

It’s no secret that remote work is popular with working professionals. Overall,95% of workers want some form of remote work, whether hybrid or fully remote. It’s also no surprise that more women (58%) than men (42%) preferfully remote work environments. The data below breaks it down more specifically.

54% Want to work fully remote
41% Want hybrid arrangements
5% Want to work in-office full-time

—Positive Impact on Career Progression

Career progression concerns most professionals, with many thinking that remote work has a more significant (more negative) impact on the ability togrow a career. However, the data shows the opposite. Overall,工作人员看到positivel远程工作y impacting their careerdevelopment.

30% Positive impact on career progression
28% No impact on career progression
22% Unsure of impact
20% Negative impact on career progression

—Collaboration Impacts Vary

There’s no shortage of commentary on collaboration and remote work. And while the survey found some concern, overall,most people (52%) believe that remote work has no impact or a positive impact on collaboration.

There was also a difference in views between men and women, with more men (41%) saying collaboration was negatively impacted vs women (34%). Here’s the whole picture:

36% Collaboration suffers
33% No impact
19% Collaboration improves
12% Unsure

Workforce Challenges and Career Outlook

Through the survey, working professionals also shared some of their challenges and outlooks on the future of their careers. While challenges are present, overall, the outlook is positive.

—Remote Work Challenges

While most people believe that productivity is a challenge when working remotely, the real culprit is the ability or willpower tostop working at the end of the day. Here’s an overview of thebiggest struggles that remote and hybrid workers face:

28% Not getting out often enough
28% Overworking/working more
19% Working across time zones
19% Developing strong relationships at work
18% Troubleshooting technology issues
17% Dealing with non-work distractions
16% Being “invisible” to the boss

—Pay Transparency Frustration

Common feedback given by job seekers often touches on the need for salary to be included in job descriptions. While laws are being developed and implemented to help workers, frustration remains high. Below iswhat people thinkabout pay transparencyand how it affects their decision-making.

Should Salary Be Required by Law in Job Descriptions?

79% Salary should be required in job descriptions
11% Salary should not be required
10% Not sure if salary should be required

With such high demand for salaries to be listed, it is no surprise that20%的受访者直接拒绝适用于年代时alary is not listed. Additionally, 52% will onlyapply to a job without a listed salaryif the job is considered “really great.”

—Optimistic Career Outlook

Although challenges persist in the workforce, there’s anupward trend regarding career optimism. When asked about their career prospects now compared to the same time a year ago, respondents shared the following:

44% More optimistic about career prospects
33% More pessimistic about career prospects
23% No change from previous year

The Work Insights Survey provided valuable insights into the changing landscape of the workplace and the experiences of working professionals. Remote work has had a positive impact on mental health, with a significant majority of people feeling supported and successful working in some form of remote job. While challenges exist, the overall outlook of professionals has become more optimistic. And while the workplace continues to evolve, working professionals have more control and sway over their career prospects.

Are you ready to take control of your career and find a remote job? FlexJobs can help! Take the tour to learn more about all FlexJobs can do to support your career.

Take the Tour

Don't forget to share this article with friends!