The work-life balance idea may not work
In the modern workplace, telecommuting and flexible schedules are often viewed as a key to worker happiness. The idea is that worker flexibility helps create a work-life balance and increased family time. But a new study shows that telecommuting actually increases work hours by five to seven hours per week (!!!) and blurs the boundary between work and home. Instead of work-life balance, telecommuting actually just ups work.
According to the survey, published in Monthly Labor Review, a majority of the 30 percent of responders who were telecommuting workers reported that they work more hours and utilize technology, especially email, to work during family time, on vacation, and while sick. The study shows that while telecommuting has not (yet) permeated the American workplace, where it has become commonly used, it is not very helpful in reducing work-family conflicts.
Employees with authority and status are most likely to have the option to work remotely, probably because they have more control over their work schedules. But those same employees are often the ones who work the most overtime, regardless of if they are in a home office or traditional office.
The happiness that comes from work-life balance is likely more about awareness of that situation, though a situation can certainly facilitate that balance. The true takeaway from this research is that workers must endeavor to keep work at work, whether that’s in a home office, a coffee shop, or a cubicle.
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