Study Has Long-Term Ramifications as Remote Work Becomes Commonplace<\/strong><\/p>\nThe research breaks new ground on the type and frequency of interruptions to home-based work, something that is still relevant as companies postpone returns to the office, employees transition to hybrid work schedules, and others adopt a permanent work-from-home status.<\/p>\n
The researchers surveyed 249 employees, across industries, who were working from home in the U.S. The average study participant was 37, worked full-time, had a bachelor\u2019s degree or higher, lived with a spouse or partner, and had children or other dependents at home.<\/p>\n
Not only did employees report more interruptions since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the nature of those challenges changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that the burden of interruptions was not shared equally, as women reported higher levels of all types of non-work interruptions, suggesting that women experience more fragmented time than men,\u2019\u2019 Madjar says. Even when both partners worked from home, the woman reported more demands related to childcare and household tasks.<\/p>\n
Women reported more interruptions than men did prior to the pandemic, but this difference has only increased. The spike in family-related disruptions while working from home during the pandemic was expected, but women noted more frequent interruptions from co-workers and supervisors even while working from home.<\/p>\n
Dedicated Home Office Is One Solution<\/strong><\/p>\nMadjar and her colleagues suggested several steps that organizations and employees can take to minimize interruptions, including helping employees find a quiet, dedicated work space within their homes.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving a dedicated home office seems to be a mitigating factor,\u2019\u2019 Madjar says. \u201cEmployees with a dedicated workspace reported less interruptions, and that makes sense. But some of our survey participants had to work at the kitchen table or in the living room so that they could supervise young children at the same time. For women, it is hard to \u2018find a place to hide\u2019 to get work done.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Women also reported more interruptions from colleagues and supervisors than did their male co-workers. The researchers believed this is tied to many women\u2019s willingness to help other colleagues and perhaps a reluctance to set firm boundaries. She recommends corporate executives emphasize emailing, rather than calling, when possible and scheduling project updates, rather than sending random questions throughout the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shift toward intensive work-from-home has uncovered an important source of gender inequality,\u2019\u2019 Madjar says. \u201cThe results of our study provide valuable insights to help understand and improve work experiences not only during the lingering pandemic but also in the future, as remote work becomes the norm long-term for many employees.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThis study unpacks how the pandemic has transformed the dynamics around work and non-work lives, making life more fragmented and asking people to perform while frequently interrupted,\u2019\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n
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