‘Hell’: WFH problem we all missed

A young Aussie has revealed why working from home can be “hell”.

Working from home has become routine, but is it all it is cracked up to be?

Workers are attracted to the benefits of WFH life because it gives them autonomy. There is no commute, time to do chores within working hours, and no need to get dressed up every day.

But there’s a downside.

Kayla Hall, 30, runs the talent agency The Social Touch, and has been working from home for four years straight.

She has amassed over 20,000 views on TikTok by sharing her “controversial” opinion that working from home isn’t that great.

“Working from home isn’t all it is cracked up to be. Firstly, it is lonely as hell, like you only have yourself and the walls to talk to,” she said.

“Second, you’re the one that has to unpack the dishwasher every day. Thirdly, your partner will get home from a day’s work, look at the house, and be like, ‘Why is it so messy? What have you been doing all day? Umm. I don’t know working.”

Kaylah revealed her controversial WFH opinion. Picture: Instagram/kaylahall93

Ms Hall’s WFH rant immediately struck a nerve with workers. Picture: Instagram/kaylahall93

Ms Hall’s WFH rant immediately struck a nerve with workers who were quick to share their different opinions.

“I cannot relate in the slightest bit to this video. WFH is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me,” one shared.

“This is everything I feel about WFH. So thank you for sharing this,” another wrote.

“I feel this so strongly I have been fully worked from home for the past four years, now starting a new job 50 per cent office attendance, I’m actually looking forward to some separation from home life,” one admitted.

“Working from home slaps. I’m not looking forward to being in the office when I change jobs in a few months,” someone else shared.

“Getting a job that’s full time office was the best thing that happened to me after 2 years WFH,” one worker commented.

Ms Hall told news.com.au that she’s not against working from home but she thinks a hybrid model would suit her best.

Right now, her business is one woman show and there’s no point renting an office space, but she’s found the loneliness of working without an office environment hard.

“I was the one that was all for working from home, I had an office job, and when Covid hit and I was pushing to work from home. Now, I’ve totally changed my tune,” she explained.

The 30-year-old has worked from home for four years straight. Picture: Instagram/kaylahall93

She said it can get lonely. Picture: Instagram/kaylahall93

Ms Hall said that she misses the “co-worker aspect” of office life and that not having anyone to talk to has been tough.

The 30-year-old explained that she loves being able to fit chores into work hours and the flexibility WFH provides, but sometimes it can feel like she’s not sure where home life ends and her working life begins.

“It does take a toll when you can’t separate your work life from home,” she said.

Ms Hall stressed that she does “love” working from home, but she imagines a hybrid model would provide her with more work/life balance.

Heading back to offices could be better for workers. Picture: iStock

Recruitment expert Roxanne Calder has observed that while most workers insist on working from home, a lot of them, also love to tell her, how much it isn’t good for them.

“I would say 99 per cent of the people we want interview want to work from home about two days a week,” she told news.com.au.

Interestingly, she’s often dealing with employees who admit working from home isn’t really good for them, whether it makes them feel lonely, impacts their mental health or impacts their focus.

“Once they admit it isn’t good for them, it is sort of like a bad habit that you’re not going to stop. If you ask them to give it up, they aren’t going to do it,” she explained.

Ms Calder works from home herself occasionally but she thinks a full-time WFH role can be a negative thing for workers.

“There’s a lot to be said about laughing. We as humans, we have to have human contact,” she argued.

Ultimately, Ms Calder has found the reason there’s been a big push for workers to return to the office more is because morale is down.

There’s a lack of engagement between staff, which means morale tends to plummet as a result.

Returning to offices where people can joke around, spend time together, and collaborate is a big way to improve that, she believes.

Originally published as ‘Hell’: WFH problem we all missed