Dr Frances Holliss takes a very rosy view of homeworking (Letters, 9 March) and ignores the mental health effects of isolation on many people – especially over such a long period. The Centre for Mental Health has estimated that up to 10 million people in England may need support for their mental health as a result of the pandemic.
And the social isolation – increased by homeworking – has been a major factor in this. Sadly, the mental health effects of the pandemic and lockdown have been largely ignored by politicians and scientists.
Flexible working is a positive development for many people, but the danger is that people will be forced into homeworking as companies seek to cut costs and reduce their office space. And the mental health effects of isolation will be severe for very many people.
There is a danger that we are sleepwalking into dramatic societal changes that could have very negative consequences because of ignorance of the mental health implications.
Mark Dawes
Leytonstone, London
• Research may suggest that many people like homeworking. However, I think Dr Holliss oversimplifies the case. She mentions the advantages of being able to decide “when and how to work”. As an academic, prescribed teaching and meeting times means, for much of the job, I don’t decide when to work, and the “how” is severely circumscribed by the dictates of Teams, Zoom etc; and other jobs may be more prescriptive.
I may be in a minority, but as I grow sick of the sight of my study walls and miss the company of colleagues, homeworking has become largely a negative experience.
Michael Cunningham
Wolverhampton
