Digitization and teleworking were studied long before Covid, but the pandemic has fundamentally transformed research on the issue. On the one hand, pre-pandemic research suggested that remote work can mitigate conflicts, enhance flexibility, and improve the balance between work and personal life. On the other, the COVID-19 pandemic years highlighted some negative aspects of widespread teleworking, such as reduced social support, increased feelings of loneliness, and heightened forms of control over vulnerable workers.

In essence, teleworking exhibits both positive and negative dimensions, largely due to its effects on our social relationships. However, the fragmented nature of research provides an incomplete understanding of this transformative phenomenon.

This project aims to provide an inclusive and more exhaustive analysis of the relations between teleworking and well-being, by employing a longitudinal mixed-methods approach. An international and interdisciplinary team will collect quantitative and qualitative data on the personal networks of teleworkers in Switzerland, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands, providing novel insights into this field of study. The research spans economics, sociology, family studies, and health psychology, which focuses on how biological, social, and psychological factors influence health.

By investigating the impact of teleworking on social support, conflicts, interruptions, and control mechanisms, this project will significantly contribute to understanding of how teleworking shapes individuals’ lives.