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Another remote work perk: Better relationships

Working from home has helped people get along better with their family members and colleagues, a new Deloitte survey shows.
Written by Sabrina Ortiz, Editor
A white man wearing glasses speaks animatedly while in a remote video conference with four coworkers.
By insta_photos -- Shutterstock

When the pandemic first hit, students and employees were forced to adjust to a brand new way of doing things. With everyone at home, there were plenty of stories of family members barging in on one another.  It turns out, however, that working from home hasn't deteriorated family relationships -- it may, in fact, be improving them, according to a new survey.

Deloitte's Center for Technology, Media & Telecommunications conducted a survey of 2,005 US consumers to better understand how people are interacting with technology post pandemic. 

Among employed adults with remote-work experience, three-quarters prefer it, the survey showed. Half of employed adults overall prefer virtual or hybrid work options.  

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Deloitte 2022 Connectivity and mobile trends, 3rd edition

Respondents listed the top benefits of working from home: the lack of commute, the enhanced comfort of working in your own home, reduced chances of catching illnesses like COVID-19, better focus and an increased connection to family. 

Working from home is also improving people's health and relationships. Eight in 10 remote workers said that their family relationships, professional relationships and physical and mental well-being have improved or stayed the same. Around half of the respondents saw a significant improvement in each of these areas, while 35% of the respondents reported that their relationships stayed the same, and less than 15% saw a significant decline.  

Although most respondents reported that they didn't see significant improvements in their relationships with managers/supervisors and colleagues, most of them also didn't see a decline. 

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Deloitte 2022 Connectivity and mobile trends, 3rd edition

There were still challenges to working from home such as burn out, unstable internet service, longer hours and household responsibilities during work hours. It is worth noting that all 17 challenges identified in the survey had a smaller percentage of people reporting them as a challenge since 2021.

SEE: Digital presenteeism is creating a future of work that nobody wants

Students learning remotely feel similarly about working from home: 70% of student respondents said they prefer virtual or hybrid options for attending school in the future. Six in 10 remote learners reported that their family relationships, professional relationships and physical and mental well-being have improved or stayed the same.

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