Terrifying study: Home office makes people sick

For many, it is currently a habit to work in their own four walls instead of in the company.

However, health effects should not be underestimated, as a survey shows.

Stuttgart - In Germany, a home office regulation * has been in effect since the beginning of the year, which has been extended until April 30th.

In order to reduce contacts in the workplace, employers must offer home offices wherever possible.

Employees are not obliged to work from home.

In view of the current strong spread of the corona virus *, many employees accept the offer with thanks.

Some have only been working from home for many months.

A current study shows: Not everyone is good at working in their own four walls.

A representative survey by the Forsa research institute on behalf of the Stuttgart testing company Dekra showed: More than every third home office user complains of health problems due to a bad job.

"The frequently new work situation in the pandemic has negative effects on the physical and often also on the mental health of many employees," says Karin Müller, head of the Human and Health division at Dekra.

Coronavirus in Germany: Survey reveals drastic effects of home office for employees

36 percent of the homeworkers surveyed stated that they experienced tension, back pain or headaches due to a “poor, non-ergonomic workplace”.

Women are therefore slightly more often affected than men.

Further shortcomings of the home office came to light in the study:

• Inadequate equipment at home, too small a screen or unstable internet (34 percent)

• Longer working hours or phases of work at atypical times, for example in the evening or on the weekend (32 percent)

• Disturbance from the living situation - for example from family members or neighbors (30 percent)

• Disturbances due to a work area that is not clearly delimited from the rest of the apartment (27 percent)

• Lack of awareness by the employer or boss (23 percent)

• Problems with IT equipment (21 percent)

In the Corona year 2020, the health insurance companies registered an increase in sick leave in various areas.

According to the DAK, the number of days lost due to back problems increased by seven percent.

Absenteeism due to mental illness also reached a new high: it increased by eight percent.

Coronavirus in Germany: Flexible working hours are a plus point for the home office

While the study, in which 1,502 employees nationwide took part, reveals some terrifying results, there are also positive things to report about working from home: 84 percent of those who currently work at least temporarily in the home office are at risk of contracting the coronavirus * to infect for significantly less than in operation.

84 percent of those surveyed think it's good that they can save themselves the trip to the office.

67 percent also welcomed the fact that they work at home in comfortable clothes and that they can flexibly adjust their working hours.

If the "Federal Emergency Brake" * decided by the federal and state governments comes into force in a few days, nothing will change with regard to the current home office regulations for the time being.

Home office must be made possible wherever possible.

However, there will still be no obligation to work from home for employees.

*

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