Human

International Labour Organization Reveals Work From Home Jobs Are More Stressful

Tripti
First Posted: Feb 18, 2017 06:04 AM EST

While the world is slowly accepting the stay at home work culture, most often people tend to ignore the amount of emotional stress that people with work from home jobs face. Though it is true that they do not have to face the traffic and the pressure of making it to multiple meetings on time, it is also true that working from home mixes personal life with professional responsibilities. Most people with work from home jobs often work extra hours for which they are not paid for.

Though earlier studies indicated that working from home increased the productivity of employees, what was not noticed in those studies was that these people often lose track of time allotted for recreational activities, which are highly necessary to maintain a healthy mental status, The Japan Times reported.

The United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) that functions for the betterment of workers and employees across the world addressed the issue. It conducted a worldwide survey on the possible health discrepancies faced by people working outside office. These include working from home as well as the people who work in mobile lots across various locations and also those who have to split time between office and various other sites.

The survey included data obtained from 15 countries including India, Japan, United States of America, Brazil and some European countries. The results of the survey indicated that advancement in technologies have made working for home more easy. However, it also increases the vulnerability of such people to experience mental stress and suffer from depression and insomnia. NDTV quoted that work from jobs often result in "the encroachment of work into spaces and times normally reserved for personal life."

In lieu of the data obtained, the ILO urged government organizations to formulate new employee-friendly policies that should also consider the challenges faced by people with work from home jobs. The ILO also recommends the implementation of the "right to disconnect" policy, especially during designated rest times and holidays.

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