The COVID-19 pandemic changed the face of work as we knew it. Though companies had been dabbling with the occasional remote or flex day for a while, 2020 saw working from home—for those who could—become almost universal for a period of time.

In the years since, working remotely has largely stuck around. The U.S. Census found that the number of Americans who work primarily from home has more than doubled since 2019. Though the numbers have leveled off, we now have about six years of data on the effects and side effects of the work-from-home revolution.

Overall, remote workers love the increased flexibility, more time at home, and shortened or eliminated commutes. Studies have even shown that remote workers are just as productive as, if not more productive than, their in-office counterparts. The only problem is that brand-new research shows that, for all the benefits of remote work, it’s making us sadder and lonelier.

Landmark study reveals negative mental health effects of working from home

A massive research study was recently published in the journal Science. Researchers analyzed data from surveys conducted between 2011 and 2024, excluding the peak COVID years (which could muddy the picture of participants’ mental health). Overall, 588,322 people were surveyed.

The surveys revealed some alarming trends:

For starters, workers in “remotable” jobs spent more time alone each day, spent more days per week completely alone, and did less socializing after work.

Workers who lived alone saw a huge increase in the number of days they spent without any social contact whatsoever.

Remote workers also showed higher levels of psychological distress, including higher rates of depression and more frequent use of antidepressants.

The authors conclude, “Our results suggest that remote work substantially increases isolation and worsens mental health, particularly for those living........

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