The what seems to be never ending Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people work. Changes which we thought would be temporary have, for some, turned into permanent changes.

Due to the many peaks of infections that have been seen, many employers have not reopened offices in full, due to the ever changing restrictions forcing working from home for many.

Changes to working habits have impacted job security, satisfaction and work life balance in different ways.

For some the pandemic has led to less work, or even redundancy. For others such as health care workers it has led to more work.

Job satisfaction has either increased or decreased significantly depending on the sector.

More work due to companies letting people go or furloughing employees and not receiving a planned raise or promotion due to cost cutting are the top reasons for negative job satisfaction during the pandemic.

Working from home or remotely, has certainly led to a better work life balance for many. No more lengthy commutes adding hours to the start and end to a working day. Many of us have found more time for leisure and hobbies. Leading to an improved work life balance. Having more time to enjoy things outside of work, leads to happier and healthier lives.

The suggestion of a shorter, or four day working week is becoming more popular with employers.

The idea of us working less is something which philosopher Russell Bertrand discussed in his essay ‘In Praise of Idleness’.

He championed the idea that nobody should be overworked, nor under worked.

He suggested that working less would mean more happiness and prosperity. Russell believed that we don’t only need to reform the economic system in which some are worked to the bone while others suffer jobless destitution, we also need to challenge the cultural ethic that teaches us to value ourselves in proportion to our capacity for ‘economically productive’ labour.

Human beings are more than just workers. We need to learn how to value idleness.

We are used to thinking of idleness as a vice, something to be ashamed of. At the time Russel wrote in praise of idleness, he and others thought as technology progressed we would all work less.

But instead the opposite has happened, we are encouraged and expected to work as hard as possible, in order to be prosperous and happy. Inequality in work has also grown, with some overworked and underpaid for the jobs they do.

The pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to take stock and to radically re-evaluate the way we work.

Changes to the way we work should be made so that they make people’s lives happier and healthier. All too often changes are made that benefit employers more than employees.

Some employers have also seen the benefit of things such as a four day week bring to workplaces. Russell was right to call for more of the ‘idleness’ that would allow us to live happier and healthier lives.