A Shift from Cubicles to Couches

A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted in June 2020 to understand the perceptions of those who work from home (WFH). A questionnaire using Google Forms was sent across to employees of different age groups, job sectors and of various places. Queries included comfort, stress, change in work and family hours, online meetings, disrupting, most convenient and irritating factors of WFH, feeling of social isolation and missing of work-team activities. Of 72 respondents, 79% were men, 60% were above 40 years and two-thirds were in supervisory role. One in two are comfortable and relaxed with WFH. More than 60% reported increase in work hours. Family time has increased to all those who had working hours reduced. No-travel was the most convenient factor for one-third, while ‘increased work hours’ was the most irritating factor for 35%. Lack of proper infrastructure, privacy, family responsibilities and mindset were the main disruptions. Comfort-Stress factors did not vary significantly with age, gender, number of children and job level.  Change in work hours, change in family time, infrastructure, privacy, balance between work-home responsibilities in addition to missing team activities, social isolation were the factors of significance for comfort and stress. Given proper infrastructure, more privacy and regulated working hours, WFH can be more comfortable and stress-free. A study with larger sample size would provide comparable data across factors. Conducting organizational level surveys across its employees in WFH could reveal more insights to help decide on cost cutting, output quality and revised compensation structures.