Workers now spending two days a week on emails and meetings

Workers like remote work. It offers them a myriad of benefits that go beyond the obvious: sure, when you work from home you definitely spend less money on pricey lunchtime salads and take-out coffees, and you generally have more time to yourself, as the commute is factored out.

Diminished distractions can lead to deeper and more productive work, and having a more flexible self-directed schedule means it’s possible to get a load of laundry done during the workday––or have time to collect kids from school. 

A global survey from Cisco confirms that 78% of respondents say remote and hybrid work has improved their overall well-being, with 79% of respondents confirming that it has improved their work-life balance. Eighty-two percent note that the ability to work from anywhere has made them happier, and 55% say it has decreased their stress levels.

One benefit that is often overlooked is the opportunity that remote work opens up. Workers can now take jobs at companies they admire, without being limited by their geographical location.

Those in minority groups and those with disabilities also benefit. At Meta, fully remote work options were offered during the pandemic, and the company found that candidates who accepted job offers for remote positions were “substantially more likely” to come from those with disabilities, Black, Hispanic, Alaskan Native, Native American, veterans, and women. The total Meta workforce with disabilities increased from 4.7% to 6.2% in the period.

Downsides

Of course, remote working isn’t all sunshine and lollipops. Blurred lines between home and work can happen when your desk is the kitchen table. A Eurofound study found that 41% of remote workers felt stressed compared to 25% of those who continued to work in the office. 

Remote work can be a lonely experience too. Workers, particularly younger employees, may experience a disconnect from office culture, losing out on team building, in-person mentoring and building relationships with their colleagues.

Digital overload

Another issue that workers are increasingly facing is digital overload. The pandemic may have served us up working in comfy clothes on the couch, but it also led to a huge uptick in virtual meetings and follow-up communications.

A recent Microsoft study found that many of us now spend the equivalent of two work days each week in meetings and on email. 

The research found that the 25% most active users of Microsoft’s business software spent an average of 8.8 hours a week reading and writing emails, and 7.5 hours logging meetings.

That doesn’t even take into account all the other time spent sending instant messages, on the phone or in impromptu conversations with co-workers. Microsoft found that the average employee spends 57% of their time using office software for communication, but that just leaves 43% of their time for actual work. 

When employees are bombarded with an overwhelming number of emails, Slacks, texts, calls and virtual meetings, it can lead to burnout. There’s just too much to stay on top of, and according to an EU-OSHA workers’ survey, workplace stress is on the rise in Europe.

Forty-four percent of workers say that their work stress has increased as a result of the pandemic, and 46% say they are exposed to severe time pressure or work overload. 

Additionally, health issues commonly associated with stress have been reported by 30% of survey respondents who have at least one health problem such as overall fatigue, headaches, eyestrain, muscle problems or pain, caused by or made worse by work.

Stress solution

If work is wearing you out, one solution can be to move to a company where work-life balance is a higher priority. The Tech EU Job Board is a great place to start your search, with thousands of opportunities to discover. Find three of those below.

Senior Information Security Engineer, Western Union, Vilnius

Discover a host of jobs all across Europe at Western Union, including a Senior Information Security Engineer role in Vilnius, Lithuania. Here, you’ll be a data expert with a focus on enhancing security and can solve complex problems creatively while adhering to the most advanced industry standards. You will need a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, or another equivalent discipline, plus six or more years’ of information security and/or application security experience.

Head of Product - Core Systems, N26, Berlin

The Core product segment at N26 looks after its financial backend, and is responsible for building a strong aligned stack across all markets, delivering the backbone for scaling the business while addressing compliance needs. N26 is seeking a data-driven, technically savvy, Head of Product to build the infrastructure of the future bank and help deliver key growth and operational metrics. A proven track record of building a scalable and efficient core banking/ financial backend system in a mature fintech startup or similar environment is required.

Senior Frontend Developer (all genders), Mazars GmbH & Co. KG, Düsseldorf

Mazars is seeking a Senior Frontend Developer who will develop creative application designs and solutions for demanding challenges, to ensure best possible performance and quality. You will also explore technologies and develop data-driven products for various industries and sectors as well as optimise internal processes. You’ll require extensive application knowledge of JavaScript with at least one of the common frameworks such as Angular, React, or Vue.

Accelerate your tech career today on the Tech EU Job Board