Disadvantages for new recruits and young workers

Despite the advantages of increased homeworking to many, predictions that homeworking will become the new normal will not be welcome news for everyone. New recruits and young workers are most likely to be reluctant to homework. A lack of face-to-face contact makes it harder to get to know people and diminishes opportunities to learn from those who are more experienced.

Insurance company Aviva’s Embracing the age of ambiguity report found that the uncertainty caused by COVID-19 meant young people who have been homeworking are most likely to feel some degree of anxiety (53% reported feeling anxious vs. a national figure of 34%) and are the most likely to rank their mental health as poor (17% vs. 11% across all age groups). The report found that this age group misses social interaction with colleagues, with almost a quarter (24%) agreeing that working from home makes them feel less connected.

There are also practical issues which can be more problematic for young people, particularly in not having the room at home to set up a long-term work space. During the pandemic, many young workers living in house shares have had to work in their bedrooms.