Home alone: Remote work, isolation, and mental health

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Occupational Health

Background:

• The rise of remote work presents potential benefits and drawbacks for employee well-being.
• Understanding the impact of remote work on social connection and mental health is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of remote work on social isolation and mental health outcomes.
• To quantify the contribution of increased remote work to changes in mental well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a difference-in-differences approach analyzing five national surveys of American workers (N=588,322) from 2011-2024 (excluding 2020-2021).
• Compared mental health changes in workers with "remotable" jobs to those with "non-remotable" jobs.

Main Results:

• Remote work was associated with increased time spent alone and worsened mental well-being across multiple metrics.
• Increased use of mental health services and prescriptions was observed among remote workers.
• These negative effects were most pronounced for individuals living alone.
• The rise in remote work is estimated to account for approximately one-third of the increase in isolation and mental distress.

Conclusions:

• The expansion of remote work has tangible negative consequences for social isolation and mental health.
• Individuals living alone are particularly vulnerable to the adverse mental health effects of remote work.
• Policy and workplace interventions may be needed to mitigate the negative impacts of remote work on mental well-being.