{"id":72479,"date":"2023-01-31T15:04:52","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T15:04:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=72479"},"modified":"2023-02-01T10:41:41","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T10:41:41","slug":"its-just-very-lonely-the-balance-between-the-isolation-and-freedom-of-homeworkers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2023\/01\/31\/its-just-very-lonely-the-balance-between-the-isolation-and-freedom-of-homeworkers\/","title":{"rendered":"‘It’s just very lonely’: The balance between the isolation and freedom of homeworkers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Although homeworking looks like it is here to stay, the set up doesn\u2019t appeal to everyone <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

HOMEWORKING offers employees more flexibility and saves time on commuting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working from home can create isolation and is bad for employees’ mental health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which of the above interpretations chimes with you depends on the job in question, because not everyone can work from home. Even if you can WFH, not everyone wants to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juls Hopkins, of Whitchurch, is one of these people. The facilities manager for a cleaning company has been working from home since 2020 but used to work in Pontcanna, a 15-minute drive away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Ms Hopkins doesn’t have to drive to work, she is “saving a lot more money”. But this advantage does not outweigh the disadvantages for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt can be very lonely working from home,” she said. “I loved working in an office and interacting with people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow it\u2019s just very lonely. I usually only go out and about on a Friday now. I certainly see fewer people. I would love a combination of office and homeworking.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent report<\/a> by Public Health Wales said that 48% of homeworkers surveyed found that they were increasingly lonely. 45% found that their mental health had worsened while homeworking.  <\/p>\n\n\n

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