Loneliness, mental health and the work-from-home revolution

This research paper examines the effect of the large post-Covid increase in remote work on loneliness and mental health. It compares changes in key variables amongst two groups: those who worked in teleworkable occupations in 2019, and those who worked in non-teleworkable occupations in 2019. It finds that relative to those who worked in non-teleworkable occupations, workers in teleworkable occupations significantly increased their propensity to remote work from 2020 onwards. They also experienced higher levels of self-reported loneliness, particularly amongst women and worse mental health. The research suggests that the rise of remote work may contribute to increased loneliness and worsening population health, albeit at modest levels.