In the face of new restrictions, many companies are once again encouraging their employees to work remotely to save them having to travel. Most of them have been doing so since the pandemic began. But how is are these new circumstances affecting employees? 

Firstly, it is difficult to generalise, because there are several factors that influence how this situation may be affecting different people or groups. Factors related to our family life or to the type of work we have to do, its conditions or the infrastructures we have to facilitate remote work, are decisive when it comes to understanding the levels of stress employees undergo. For example, two factors, such as the presence of young children at home or a lack of experience and preparation for working for your company remotely have been crucial in understanding the levels of stress many people have experienced in relation to remote work. However, despite the evident variables, we know from studies carried out during and prior to the pandemic, that in general, working from home poses a risk factor for employee stress and burnout. The clash of roles caused by working from home often results in overload and a struggle to carry out each of these roles properly. This, coupled with the absence of social interaction, leads to a greater prevalence of emotional distress. 

Have cases of stress and anxiety increased or decreased since people have been working more from home?

In a situation as difficult and complex as the current one, where remote work is just one of the changes that many of us have experienced, it is difficult to ascertain the causes and effects of the phenomena we have been observing over the past few months. On the one hand, our predictions were being realised, in terms of a decline in the population’s mental health and an increase in cases of stress or anxiety, among other strains. What’s more, through research and patient testimonies, we have also been able to discover that remote working is probably one of the factors responsible for this uptick in stress. However, we do not have the data (and may never have it) we need to make a general assessment of the influence remote working has had on the increase in stress and anxiety. 

What advice would you give to people who do work remotely and spend all day at home without interacting with their colleagues?

Given how vulnerable to stress we are at the moment, the logical recommendation would be to take greater care of ourselves. This could mean following the advice and recommendations we have been getting since the start of this pandemic, including making sure we stay in touch with our social circle as best we can given the current external and personal limitations, eat well, exercise, respect our schedules, avoid toxic substances, practice meditation or yoga, and so on.

Just as remote work has been used in the professional sphere, in education and in particular at university, online classes are also now the default teaching method. How do you think this is affecting young people? 

I think that most people feel a sense of frustration towards online classes. It is almost a year since university teaching went online, and it shows no signs of returning to an on-site format any time soon. Most feel that this compromise has stretched on for too long, and that their studies are unfolding in a way that they did not expect, or want.  I think it is particularly difficult for first-year students who were barely been able to experience university life as they had imagined. For many of them, it is a far too lonely experience. I have been able to observe in many cases how my university patients and students experience anger and also confusion. Classroom learning is not only a way of teaching, but it is also a source of crucial socialisation at that age. In terms of the impact it is having on young people, as with remote work, it is difficult to separate the effect of online classes from other factors that affect university students. Having read various studies and going on what we see in consultations, we know that the pandemic is putting significant strain on their mental health. This impact was to be expected given that mental health problems are common among the student population, and the pandemic has imposed some of the tightest restrictions they have seen, not only on the way they learn, but also on their lifestyle. 

Working at Support - University Psychology and Psychiatry Clinic, have you noticed an increase in visits as a result of the pandemic?

It is difficult to answer that question in comparative terms as we are a young clinic which means we cannot contrast our numbers with previous years. There are also other influences that could explain the fluctuation. It is true that we have seen a clear increase in recent months in the number of consultations among the children and adolescent population, which is also the case in public services. Among adults, this increase is perhaps more gradual but we will be able to assess the trend more clearly over the coming months. The feeling among many professionals is that, for varying reasons related to the current situation, many people are putting off asking for help.  And yet,we know that the sooner we get help, the more effective it will be. Therefore, my recommendation is that if you feel you may be suffering from something that requires treatment, consult a mental health professional or your family doctor.