End of Remote Work, Return to Office... 41% of US Workers Say "Stress Has Increased"

Work-Life Balance Challenges and COVID-19 Infection Concerns Cited as Sources of Stress

Bustling area of Times Square, New York, USA
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Wooseok] A survey found that 4 out of 10 American workers who recently returned to the office after working from home during COVID-19 are experiencing more stress than when they worked from home.

According to a recent poll by the Associated Press and the University of Chicago's NORC Center for Public Affairs Research on the 8th (local time), 41% of Americans who switched from working from home to going to the office said, "My stress has increased compared to before."

22% answered that "stress has decreased," and 37% said there was "no difference."

Additionally, 50% of women and 30% of men reported increased stress levels, indicating that women feel more stressed than men.

The main causes of stress were cited as inability to maintain work-life balance (31%), concerns about COVID-19 infection (28%), commuting issues (18%), and interpersonal relationships (15%).

Jessica Edwards, Interim Chief Development Officer (CDO) of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), said about worker stress, "Many people have become accustomed to working from home for two years," and emphasized, "It is important for companies to prioritize employees' mental health and communicate about it."

Meanwhile, in this survey, 72% of respondents said they only work in person without telecommuting. Those working from home accounted for 16%, and those combining telecommuting and in-person work accounted for 13%.

The survey was conducted from April 16 to 18, targeting 1,085 American adults.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.