How work from home culture could be fuelling depression

  • 📰 brisbanetimes
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 77 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 34%
  • Publisher: 67%

Australia Headlines News

Australia Latest News,Australia Headlines

The uptick in sales of ‘mouse jigglers’ by opportunistic WFH-ers could be masking a broader underlying issue.

Back from holiday to the blue skies of London, I am not surprised at all by how empty the roads and trains feel during rush hour. Who wouldn’t choose to work from a sunny garden over a drab office, after a start to the summer so dreary that this month has been nicknamed Juneuary.

The Wells Fargo saga may have spooked a few master mouse jiggler users, but it’s unlikely many people outside the finance industry will get caught out, let alone sacked. The issue here is less about getting caught and more about toxic presenteeism and unhappy staff fooling themselves into thinking that they’ve got the upper hand. Where once someone unhappy at work would have been motivated to find a new one, now those who hate their jobs are admitting defeat and instead doing as little as possible from the comfort of their home.

Workers signed off sick who might then end up unemployed are likely to then face even poorer mental health: a review of 4000 people in the UK concluded in 2022 that treatments for depression were far more effective for those in work than for those who weren’t. You don’t have to look far to see how many people feel trapped by their employer’s remote-working handcuffs, especially among those who are younger. “I was WFB ”, confesses one Reddit user who eventually changed jobs and went back to the office part-time, responding to a question from someone who said they were waking up “feeling totally meh” after two years of working from home.

There’s no denying that full-time home working can do a world of good for some. Those who redirect their energy into a hobby or who previously felt overloaded juggling work and caring responsibilities will no doubt feel much happier in a job that is fully flexible, and will likely choose to work for longer as a result.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 13. in AU

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

How work from home culture could be fuelling depressionThe uptick in sales of ‘mouse jigglers’ by opportunistic WFH-ers could be masking a broader underlying issue.
Source: smh - 🏆 6. / 80 Read more »

Wells Fargo fires more than a dozen employees over sneaky WFH trick7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Source: 7NewsSydney - 🏆 16. / 63 Read more »

Bankers sacked for faking work following rise of ‘mouse jigglers’The US banking giant discharged members of its wealth and investment management arm after investigating claims that they were pretending to be busy.
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »

Bankers sacked for faking work following rise of ‘mouse jigglers’The US banking giant discharged members of its wealth and investment management arm after investigating claims that they were pretending to be busy.
Source: brisbanetimes - 🏆 13. / 67 Read more »

Bankers sacked for faking work following rise of ‘mouse jigglers’The US banking giant discharged members of its wealth and investment management arm after investigating claims that they were pretending to be busy.
Source: smh - 🏆 6. / 80 Read more »

Public servants could be moved out of CBD, urged to WFH to cut costsTreasurer Cameron Dick will consider shifting department offices to the suburbs and expect more meetings to be held online to help cut costs.
Source: brisbanetimes - 🏆 13. / 67 Read more »