Remote Work’s Negative Side Gets Debated by European Politicians
Skift Take
The travel industry tends to portray remote work with Instagram-friendly images of people working on their laptops by beaches or pools, but politicians warn of psychological and social risks, gender inequality, and falling salaries. The hunt for the middle ground has begun.
European politicians renewed debate on new remote work guardrails for companies and their employees — and WeWork and Zoom are trying to shape new legislation.
They’ll have their work cut out, however, as Europe’s lawmakers appear to be focusing on the negative aspects of virtual offices.
“There’s a dark side,” said European Parliament member Sara Mattheiu. “In short, the increased use of digital resources for work purposes has resulted in an always-on culture.”
Speaking at last week's second European Union roundtable, "In Search of a New Work-Life Balance,” she described how muscle strain, as well as cognitive and emotional overload, were also part of excess remote work. “It has a negative impact on fundamental rights and working conditions, including remuneration and safety at work,” she added.
Switching OffThe “right to disconnect” was a prominent theme during the two-hour debate. This is seen as the emplo
