Remote workers seem to have done just that: They can avoid talking to each other in person, working from the sofa instead of sitting in the office and skipping the office bathroom. But like candy corn or fondant cakes, remote work isn’t always as good as it looks.
More than half (55%) of remote workers are very worried about their finances, according to a recent report survey conducted by MetLife, interviewed 1,000 full-time workers. That’s more than full-time employees or hybrid employees, 46% of whom feel the same way.
For those who work remotely, stress is becoming overwhelming to deal with. A small majority (53%) predict that they will soon reach their financial “breaking point”. Only 41% of hybrid workers and workers say the same.
Part of the problem is benefit selection, when employees are faced with headaches like how much to contribute to their 401(k) plan and which health plan offers the best deductible. . MetLife found that telecommuters spend more time stressing about their benefits than those who work onsite or their hybrid workers.
It may be because they handle the enrollment on their own without having someone to speak to directly who can explain what those benefits mean. Such conversations can be more difficult to understand Launch or Slack. Many people noted to MetLife that if they understood the entire application process, they would feel more secure financially.
“During open enrollment, employees have to make decisions about a variety of benefits, but on average, people spend 17 or 18 minutes on open enrollment,” said Mona Zielke, senior operations and claims at Voya said Luck In Februaryshows that people often take longer to decide which shows to watch.
But they also worry about what will happen to them if the economy turns for the worst. Economic instability and ongoing layoffs have arouse concern that telecommuting workers will struggle: 78% of workers in the US are concerned that telecommuters are more likely to lose their jobs if a recession hits, according to the report. GoodHire’s Second Annual “State of Teleworking” Report.
Their concern about being out of sight, losing their mind? come from nowhere at work close bias still exist; six out of 10 managers told Awesome.AI that they will lay off the first remote workers during the recession. But it’s worth noting that despite ongoing layoffs at major tech companies, job openings remain high, and despite the headlines, there are no major signs of mass layoffs. upcoming.
If a recession hits, all remote workers will be in different ships depending on the industry they work in. But even so, many remote workers have skills that are often in high demand today, making it a little easier to find yourself again. their feet if their fear of dismissal is true.
“They have those digital skills often because that’s what allows them to do their jobs remotely,” said Layla O’Kane, senior economist at Lightcast. Luck. “And they often have to work harder on communication and collaboration because they’re working remotely.”
Even so, whether it’s choosing benefits or worrying about impending layoffs, telecommuters are squirming a bit in their seats.
Register Fortune feature email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews and surveys.
