The mental health impact of work from home: a literature review

Abstract

The 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has shifted the workplace focus from on-site to remote and has introduced discussions about the positive and negative features of working from home (WFH). Many employees have reported increased control and flexibility regarding one’s schedule with the shift to a remote model. However, there have been increasing concerns regarding the emotional and mental health effects of such a model and the social isolation resulting from staying at home. The lack of professional boundaries, technological limitations, and forced interaction with family members have been considered potentials costs of the convenience of WFH. In this review paper, we discuss the possible benefits and consequences of remote work on various measures of mental health and discuss the implications of future WFH models which may provide workers with greater autonomy and flexibility.