25: Percentage of employees who feel like work never stops when working from home
A quarter of workers say they feel like they’re online 24/7 because of the shift to working from home, according to new data from software firm Zapier.
What it means for HR leaders
The data from Zapier is the latest to paint an unflattering picture of work-life balance during the pandemic.
While many studies have found that the large shift to remote work due to the COVID-19 has largely been successful in terms of employee productivity, this new research finds that for many employees, working from home makes it feel like work never stops. Previous research found that employees are working longer hours during the pandemic.
Adding to the problem, Zapier also found that employees are reluctant to take time off. A quarter of employees (24%) say it’s hard to justify taking time off from work because they’re already working from home. Worse yet, 13% say they won’t take time off until the pandemic is over.
Related: What to do when workers won’t take their vacation
That startling data, combined with other similar findings, indicates employers and HR leaders would be wise to encourage employees to take time off and take breaks during the day and should help workers find ways to cope with stress.
“People shouldn’t be working to the point of exhaustion,” says Carly Moulton, senior communications specialist at Zapier. “Leaders should take extra care to exercise empathy during this time and set an example by taking time off and encouraging others to do the same.”