Why is Remote Working Just Corporate Gaslighting in Pajamas?

“You are on Mute”—You must have heard this phrase during the revolutionary decision on the implications of remote working during the pandemic. It was a dream come true for several people, including me, who had been dreaming of remote work for years, as it provides you with the upper hand on your preferred job and how you tackle it. 

When people shifted from corporate offices to home-office setups, from office dress-up to cozy wear and pajamas, everything got a 180-degree turn, including preferences. People who were once in love with their in-office routines started shifting their preferences to Remote work. Like everything, this too has flaws. What seems to be a step towards freedom from office politics and critics began showing its opposing sides. 

Why Is Remote Working Just Corporate Gaslighting in Pajamas? 

Several people, after the Work-From-Home was in usage, started noticing that Remote Working is just the Corporate Gaslighting in Pajamas because it comes along with invisible labour, constant surveillance for the office hours, unlisted boundaries, and elongated shifting hours, which in turn, resulted in employees getting completely exhausted and freaked out. Harsh deadlines were why several employees opted out; employers then started giving deadlines that couldn’t be completed within office hours. They then asked them to complete the deadline after office hours, destroying their health and family bonds. 

Why is Remote Working a manipulation, not a freedom? 

Remote working refers to working from home, which means you will have a setup at home where you can work for your office and do freelancing. But what once was imagined as a Freedom, is now more than a manipulation because – 

• Destroying Personal Life – 

What was once termed comfy working is the reason behind personal life destruction, followed by prolonged stress. Yes, I got you. I know how we deal with such stuff, which is also hazardous to our personal lives and family time. Due to remote work, employers started thinking that their employees’ whole day is office hours, so they used to provide overburdened projects and deadlines, which cost employers sleepless nights and reduced family time. 

• No Lunch Breaks –

“You are at home, anytime you can eat, now, focus on the deadline” are the sentences that most Remote Employees must have heard from their employers. Due to these strict guidelines and phrases, several employees skip their meals to meet the goals that directly affect their health. Due to such harsh statements, even employees started feeling guilty for staying away from their setup, resulting in psychological effects, causing them to skip meals often. 

• Endless Flexible Hours –

Remote Working refers to the specific hours given by the companies where you have to complete the assigned tasks. Additionally, plenty of companies have investors and teams across the globe, which converts flexible hours into endless office hours because to meet deadlines, you must answer emails even at night, followed by urgent meetings with people across the globe. This isn’t just hectic, but less productive too. 

• Full-Time Webcam Surveillance – 

Several companies track real-time updates from their employees, so they use a timer and webcam surveillance to check whether every employee is at the desk working for their company. This means no privacy, freedom, manipulation, or strictness. Webcam surveillance not only removes the boundary between personal and professional life but also initiates psychological stress because even after hours, employees tend to imagine that they are still under surveillance, like the Big Boss. 

• Tracking of Mouse –

Webcam Surveillance wasn’t enough for manipulation, so a few companies even came up with the idea of Mouse Tracking. Here, the tools will mark you idle if your mouse pointer stays at the same place for more than a minute or a few seconds. That’s the dictatorship, of course. 

• Work-Life Balance is a Joke – 

Since remote work came into use, work-life balance has become a joke, where you are no longer free enough to spend time with your family, and you will be overburdened with stress and timelines. HRs or your managers will always be talking about the Work Life Balance and all, but in reality, you have to skip time with your family and have to work hard till night while skipping meals to finish the deadlines that’s in your mind, even being at your home, then too. 

Writer’s Saying for the Remote Working – 

Still, I am a Remote Working Employee and a Freelancer because Remote Working is the freedom where my creativity reaches the next level with engaged time. Yes, I utilize my time by learning creativity and the tonality of writing almost every day.

But to be grateful, I got an employer who’s a remote worker, who supports me and understands the flaws and problems we face daily. We are so excited to hear about your personal experience as a remote worker, so please share it here in the comment portal. 

Follow me on my Instagram Writer Profile – Siddhant Jain SJ – The Writer

My Previous Blog for Solsaga – Blog