Great Pajama Jobs

CHAPTER 10Making It Work

A Cigna survey, Loneliness and the Workplace 2020 U.S. Report, surveyed 10,441 adults online to measure loneliness in America, and especially in the workplace. To measure loneliness, the researchers asked people questions using the UCLA Loneliness Scale; a score of 43 or higher out of 80 is considered lonely.

Among the study's findings: Remote workers are more likely to feel lonely than people working in offices with colleagues nearby. More than half of remote workers surveyed (53 percent) said they always or sometimes feel isolated from others, quite a bit higher than the 48 percent of people who work “in-person.” Similarly, 53 percent of remote workers said they feel they lack companionship always or sometimes while only 46 percent of non-remote workers do.

Without adequate social interaction, loneliness can create depression and a range of other emotional and physical health complications.

Yes, home-based employment can get lonely, but doesn't have to, in my opinion, and I've been at it for years.

As I wrote in my introduction to this book, I've never before talked to so many workers who quickly adapted during the coronavirus work from home orders to using communication technology like Zoom conferencing and are embracing it. Virtual meetups with friends, family, and co-workers became a breeze and a stress buster in short order when the stay-at-home orders kicked in.

That said, I do envision that in the aftermath of the pandemic that ran through our ...