Working from office is better for mental health…This study will open the eyes of those seeking work from home.

New Delhi: After the Corona epidemic, work from home culture increased significantly across the world including India. Still many companies allow their employees to work from home. Meanwhile, a global study has revealed that for good mental health, it is better to work from office rather than work from home. According to the study, good relationships in the office and a sense of pride in work are more important for mental health than ‘work-life balance’, which includes aspects like workload and flexibility. Sapiens Lab, an American research organization, has done this study. Using data from 54,831 employees from 65 countries, it was found out what effect work culture has on mental health.

India is different from America and Europe in this matter

Another surprising thing came to light in the study. In India, the mental health of people who work from office was found to be better than those who work from home or in a hybrid manner. This is in stark contrast to the US and Europe, where hybrid workers were found to have the best mental health.

There is a debate in the country regarding workload

This report has come at a time when there is a debate in India regarding workload, stress and toxic workplace. The recent death of a 26-year-old chartered accountant in Pune has further fueled this debate. The report cited workload as a major cause of distress among employees. But these work-life balance factors were found to be only half as effective on mental health as some other parameters.

What does the study say about the workplace?

“Relations with your colleagues and a sense of pride and purpose in your work have the biggest impact on your mental health, no matter what kind of work you do,” the report says. Poor relationships and a lack of pride and purpose at work have been linked to severe sadness or despair, feelings of being unwanted, and low energy levels and motivation.

Team workers have better mental health

In India, where a sample of 5,090 people was taken for the study, the link between poor relationships with coworkers and mental distress was found to be stronger than the global average. Across the world, people working in teams showed better mental health than those working alone, but the increase in mental health with team size was sharper in India than in Western countries.

“The 13 percent of respondents in India indicating unbearable workload is actually better than the global average (16%) and the US (18%), while indicating good relationships with their colleagues,” said Tara Thiagarajan, neuroscientist and founder of Sapiens Lab. “The number of people giving is about the same as the global average, which is about 50%.” Globally, the study found that those in customer services and manual labor performed worse than those employed in knowledge-based jobs.

The study used an approach called the Mental Health Quotient, which assesses 47 aspects of mental emotion and functioning that are combined into an overall mental health score. Thiagarajan said, “We define mental health not just as mood and attitude factors, but as the full complement of mental abilities that allow us to meet life’s challenges and function productively.” These include adaptability and resilience, the social self, drives and motivation, cognition, and the mind-body connection.”