More than 40% of employees working longer hours from home, survey finds

Over four in ten employees working from home are working longer hours than they would in a standard working day, a survey has found.

Some 90% of workers are now based at their homes since the coronavirus restrictions came into place to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

According to the research carried out by recruitment platform, IrishJobs.ie, of those working longer hours, 21% say they cannot switch off from work, 12% feel that they are working less efficiently and 11% claim to have a heavier workload than usual.

Despite working longer hours, more than half of employees try to maintain a regular routine when working from home.

Over half of those surveyed say that they still wake up at the same time as they would if they were going to the office, while more than four in 10 workers admit to sleeping in slightly longer but say that despite this, they continue to start work at their usual time.

Over nine in 10 employees take a regular break every day when working from home, with 35% taking their break at the same time as they would on a normal working day in the office.

Of those who take a break, 70% spend it making food, almost half get outside for fresh air and over three in 10 use it to spend time with others in their household.

While the majority of employees say they try to maintain a regular working routine, many are juggling various personal priorities, particularly those with young families or vulnerable dependants.

Over half of employees surveyed are interrupted during their working day by family members and 22% are dividing their time between a job and home-schooling children.

Daily chores are also proving disruptive, with 21% surveyed finding the washing machine to be a distraction during the working day.

The kitchen table is the most popular choice of workspace for employees, with 42% of people using it to do their work.

Two in 10 employees surveyed have a dedicated home office space or a spare room to work from.

Almost 80% of people say they miss their usual working environment, and socialising with work colleagues was ranked as the main reason for this.

Orla Moran, general manager at IrishJobs.ie said: “The measures that have been put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19 have undoubtedly changed our normal way of living.

“When we look at the workplace, there has been significant levels of change in recent weeks.

“While remote working may be a relatively new concept for some, the adaptability of both employees and employers has been remarkable.

“However, it is inevitable that we will all experience dips in morale, motivation and productivity.

“Employers should look to take reasonable steps to manage this.”