(Bloomberg) — Deutsche Bank AG is calling the end of the honeymoon phase for employees’ relationship with remote work.
A growing number of workers report feeling isolated from colleagues, Deutsche Bank said in a report to clients. Workers are increasingly likely to develop musculoskeletal problems due to inadequate remote-work setups. Nearly 40% of workers in the U.S. say they feel exhausted after a full week of virtual meetings.
“Despite our initial honeymoon, people are starting to realize that the freedom of work-from-home does have some downsides: dilution of company culture, coordination issues, and even the mental wellbeing of some workers,” Marion Laboure, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, said in the report.
Even so, a proprietary survey conducted by the firm showed people expect to continue working from home two to three days a week once the coronavirus pandemic is no longer deemed a threat. The firm now expects offices in major financial hubs like London and New York City to refill quickly, pointing to increased ridership on public transit systems in both cities as one early sign that workers are getting back to their desks.
“Work-from-home has brought new freedoms, saved some extra cash by cutting out commutes,” Laboure said. “However, concerns surrounding mental health, the hurting of inner-city businesses, new graduates unable to connect with their peers and even vulnerability to cyber-attacks have led to questions about whether our honeymoon with work-from-home is drawing to a close.”
Read More: How ‘Work From Home’ Became ‘Work From Anywhere’: QuickTake
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