Working from home may not have been as healthy as proponents claim, according to Dr. Nick Coatsworth, who is the medical expert for Nine Network.
He also stated that excessive time away from work can negatively affect one’s health.
In an opinion piece for the Australian Financial Review, he took aim at the bureaucracy in Canberra for its tacit acceptance of the concept of work-from-home.
According to Dr. Coatsworth, he was disturbed by how the concept of flexibility had been used to justify the increasing number of flexible work arrangements.
He noted that the evidence supporting the health benefits of such arrangements was not always clear.
He also noted that the increasing number of work-from-home arrangements could negatively affect one’s health.
He argued that instead of promoting a holy grail of work-life balance, it could lead to an early grave. Dr. Coatsworth additionally refuted the arguments in favor of this practice, such as the advantages of face-to-face interactions with colleagues.
Positive interactions with others can reportedly stimulate the release of chemicals in the brain that improve one’s sense of wellbeing and lower blood pressure.
He also stated there is conflicting evidence regarding the benefits of working from home.
For instance, European research has shown that employees who work from home are more likely to work outside of their regular work hours.
According to him, the flexibility provided by work-at-home arrangements can be utilized for non-task activities, such as making up time and finishing assignments at other times throughout the week.
He noted the blurring of the line between off and on had removed the psychological benefits of routine.
In his opinion piece, Dr. Coatsworth stated that the physical health benefits of working from home could be very doubtful for federal public servants in Canberra, as their daily commute is typically less than 20 minutes.
He also noted that the provision of WFH benefits could increase the likelihood of employees becoming sedentary.
He noted that the incentive to use public transportation has gone, and instead of walking or riding a bike to work, one has to walk five meters to get to the office.
He also stated that the increasing number of flexible working arrangements could lead to an increase in the likelihood of people becoming sedentary.