Work from home but live alone? Remote jobs may increase social isolation says report

A quiet home office can be comfortable at first, but spending most of the workday alone may have a downside. New research has found that people living alone and working in remote-friendly jobs experienced more social isolation and mental distress, CNN reported on Monday.

A study published in the journal Science found that people living alone and working in remote-friendly occupations reported greater mental distress and social isolation than those in jobs that generally require employees to work in person.

The findings come as companies continue to rethink remote and hybrid work, with some employers asking workers to return to offices for more days each week.

Remote work can mean fewer social interactions

Researchers analysed more than a decade of data from national surveys, comparing workers in remote-friendly occupations, such as marketing, with those in jobs that generally require people to be physically present, such as surgery.

The study did not track whether specific individuals actually worked remotely. Instead, researchers looked at whether their occupations could be performed remotely.

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Among people living alone, workers in remote-friendly jobs spent 25% of days without social contact. That was more than twice the share reported by people in non-remote-friendly jobs.

Matthew Juhren, who works remotely from his home office near Portland, Oregon, has experienced that isolation firsthand. Since April, he has been working as much as 75 hours a week, often by himself.

“The solitude of it all is new and different,” Juhren told CNN, “and for an extroverted person, it can be difficult at times.”

The study also found that the increase in psychological distress since the pandemic was twice as large among people living alone in remote-friendly jobs compared with those living with others.

Returning to office may not solve loneliness

The findings do not mean returning to the office automatically solves loneliness.

“It assumes that when you go to the office you have a meaningful, socially fulfilling environment,” said Dr. Constance Noonan Hadley, an organisational psychologist and founder of the Institute for Life at Work.

She said meaningful connection comes from being around people who make you feel valued and understood, whether that happens at work or somewhere else.

Remote work remains popular in the US. According to Gallup, 61% of remote-capable employees preferred hybrid work in November, while 33% preferred working exclusively remotely and 6% preferred working on-site.

Other research has also highlighted potential benefits of remote work.

A July study published in Frontiers in Psychology, involving roughly 7,700 healthcare employees, found that remote workers reported the highest levels of positive well-being among remote, hybrid and on-site employees.

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Where can remote workers find social connection?

For Anika Farmer, a 45-year-old attorney in Trinidad and Tobago, working remotely since 2020 has offered practical benefits. After receiving a chronic diagnosis two years later, her 2½-hour commute became difficult. She now uses the time saved to exercise and practise mindfulness before work.

“That makes a huge difference on your stress levels and everything,” Farmer said.

Farmer also lives with her mother, uncle and dog, Zeke, giving her regular company.

Experts say social connection does not necessarily have to come from an office. Small interactions, such as chatting with a barista or smiling at a stranger, can create a sense of belonging.

Hadley's research found that people often considered coworking spaces and other “third spaces”, such as coffee shops, more socially fulfilling than either home or the office.

For Juhren, spending time with his partner helps. They meet a few nights a week to play cards, have a beer or simply get out of the house.

“If I were alone, I think it would probably be much worse,” Juhren said.

The takeaway is not necessarily about choosing between home and office, but finding regular, meaningful human connection wherever work happens.