4 Reasons Remote Workers Are Almost Twice As Stressed As People In The Office Even Though They Get To Be At Home
Working remotely isn't the walk in the park many people assume it is.
Kaboompics.com | Pexels Many people who work in-office look at remote work as some kind of elusive dream they wish they could realize. They assume that things must surely be less stressful when working from home, in an environment you can be comfortable in. And, for quite some time, it was believed that working remotely had major benefits for employees’ well-being.
However, according to meQ’s Summer 2025 State of the Workforce Report, attitudes are changing. Remote workers don’t see their work environments as the perfect circumstances they once did. Instead, remote workers actually face more stress due to uncertainty than those who work on-site, a 27% increase. There are many different factors that can contribute to this increase in stress, but meQ’s report singled out a few that seem to be particularly relevant for remote workers right now. It seems that things that were once considered perks of working from home have been distorted into stressors that remote workers now have to find a way to deal with.
1. They communicate with co-workers less frequently
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meQ pointed out that co-worker communication happens very differently in remote workplaces. While some may assume that working remotely means there is no communication with co-workers at all, this is false. There are still meetings to be attended, emails to be answered, and instant messages to be sent. The big difference is that most, if not all, of this communication is essential.
When you’re working in an office setting, or any similar in-person environment, there’s time to joke and laugh with co-workers. You get to know them on a personal level and learn about their lives outside of work. You know who the important people in their lives are and what is going on for them. This isn’t as easy when someone is working remotely.
One study published in the journal Nature Human Behavior examined Microsoft employees who worked in-office until they were forced to work remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. Summarizing the study’s findings for UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine, Laura Counts noted that researchers found that employees were less likely to work with those in other departments. Additionally, more communication was asynchronous, meaning it was through email or messaging platforms rather than face-to-face conversations or meetings. This may seem obvious when you work remotely, but it could be disadvantageous for employees.
2. They worry about opportunities for career advancement
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Another thing meQ discovered was that people who worked remotely had less clarity when it came to their opportunities for advancement. A survey conducted by Robin Powered, Inc., found that some employers were more likely to promote workers who had spent time in the office.
Of course, if a company is completely remote, it’ll be prepared for these kinds of challenges and handle them differently. But if a few employees work remotely while others are in the office more frequently, it could get complicated.
Dan Manian, the CEO and co-founder of Donut, a platform that assists in collaboration, said this problem can also be related to the first stressor that meQ identified. He said that some advancement methods, like virtual training, have no difference between in-person and remote workers. Others, like promotions that management makes the final decision on, can benefit from being on-site because it allows employees to develop a stronger, closer relationship with members of management.
When someone is working from home, it can be easy for them to feel isolated to the point of being forgotten in some ways, especially if other employees are still at the office. They may worry that this will change their chances of moving up the corporate ladder. No one wants where they work from to disadvantage them, so it’s an important thing to consider.
3. They deal with increased technological challenges
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If you work in-office, there’s a good chance your company has some kind of IT department that is ready to help whenever technological issues arise. Also, if you struggle with technology in the office, there’s probably a backup option you can use. On the other hand, if you’re working from home, you may not have access to an IT department at all, especially if you’re working with your own equipment.
This means you are solely responsible for dealing with any technical difficulties. This can be disheartening, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with that. Zapier’s Melanie Pinola said that “technology hiccups,” from your internet going out to your laptop not working, can all prove to be detrimental when you’re just trying to get through the workday.
Another thing to consider is that when you’re working from home, you’re likely using even more technology than you would in an office. You can’t just pop into your boss’s office to tell them something. Instead, you must send them an electronic message of some sort. This increase in the type of technology used just compounds the problem.
4. They pay increased health care costs
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The final reason remote workers are more stressed than those on-site may be a surprising one, but meQ shared that they may actually pay more for healthcare. This has nothing to do with some kind of strange insurance policy that comes with remote work. Rather, it is because of the effect remote work has on employees.
“Among those with high uncertainty stress, the prevalence of moderate or worse generalized anxiety disorder stands at 25%, more than double the 11% rate noted among those with lower degrees of stress,” they said. “Generalized anxiety disorder is known to at least double health care costs.”
An analysis from the Integrated Benefits Institute found that higher numbers of remote and hybrid workers dealt with depression and anxiety (40% and 38%, respectively) compared to on-site workers, who have a risk of around 35%. This increase in mental health issues is very real and can, unfortunately, become very costly.
Working remotely has a lot of benefits, which is why so many people seek it out. However, it’s not all pros and no cons. Everything has a darker side, including remote work, which can seriously stress out employees. People should carefully consider the best option for them based on their personal circumstances.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
