Working from home is “harming our mental health” and is detrimental to our wellbeing. 

That’s according to an Observer journalist who feels that the benefits of the phenomenon have been exaggerated and most people would be much better off working in the office.

“The people I was writing about in this article are the people who haven’t been considered, which are people who work from home - but hate it,” she told Newstalk Breakfast.

“I think this is quite a lot of us. With the option to stay at home, we do because it is easier but actually, it is harming our mental health to be socially isolated in this way.

“After all, communities in the workplace are some of our most important communities now.

“If you look at the decline of other communities - religious communities, neighbourhood communities - I mean the main community in the modern west is the workplace.

“A lot of us, I think, are staying home out of inertia.”

W4W1JW Coffee or tea break time at the office

Ms Gill cited the example of a friend who hardly ever goes into the office - but when he does, he really enjoys it.

“I was watching the progress of a friend of mine, who basically every time he goes into the office, he comes back feeling really refreshed and perked up when he’s made to go into the office for an unavoidable in-person meeting,” she said.

“He resolves to go into the office once a week from now on, but every day he gets up just before his first zoom call.

“It’s just easier not to go in, right?”

'Discipline'

Ms Gill admits there “probably” would be pushback if offices started curtailing the practice and believes those with a valid reason should be allowed to continue working at home.

She also feels that most workers would benefit if they showed “a little bit more discipline” about working in the office.

“I think we probably need to separate out the groups that are making rational decisions to stay at home,” she said.

“For example, people with caring responsibilities - it’s great that they have more flexible working.”

Not an option

For Ms Gill, working from the office is not an option and it is something she misses hugely.

“I was freelance, now I’ve a column in the Observer,” she said.

“But I can’t go into the office unless I’m staff.

“So, I actually go to work in a library, where I know a lot of journalists - so, I’ve got a bit of a social thing there.”

The CSO estimates only 23% of people had worked remotely prior to the pandemic - but the figure has since reached 80%.

A right to request remote work was included in the Government’s Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.

It has been signed into law by the President but its provisions have not yet taken effect.

Main image: Office workers at their desks. Picture by: PA.