Physical strain in the home office could lead to back problems

In Corona times, working from home has proven to be an important replacement for the office - so important that employers are required by March to offer employees such an option if their work allows it. According to a study conducted by Fellowes, the majority of employees (90%) would like to continue working from home. However, new studies indicate that this leads to higher levels of stress. Such physical strainin the home officeIn most cases it causes back problems.

1000 employees in Germany who work from home for 4 months or longer were surveyed. Around 40% of those surveyed reported a lack of motivation when working from home, more than a third suffered from loneliness and around 25% felt stressed. Another study carried out by the software company “Asana” gives a possible reason for this: 90% of employees are said to have longer working hours in the home office than in the office.

It's not just the psyche of employees that suffers, as working from home can also have a negative impact on their health. Due to a lack of space or insufficient equipment in the home office by companies, 38% of those surveyed suffer from back problems, around a third of all study participants report headaches or neck pain, and another 30% have problems with their eyes.

Over 60 percent of respondents admit that they set up their home office at their own expense to manage their health problems. A high-quality ergonomic chair and a height-adjustable desk that allows you to switch between sitting and standing are absolute musts, according to 30% of those surveyed.

Does working from home lead to exhaustion and burnout more often than working in the office?

For many, working from home is the only way to safely survive the difficult Corona times. However, it remains questionable whether working from home will prove to be the better option in the long term. For example, an absenteeism report published by AOK indicates that 73.4% of employees who work from home suffer from exhaustion. In comparison, only 66% of workers who work in the office are exhausted.