If you've been working from home during the lockdown, you're probably missing certain colleagues that you consider family. You're not alone.
Many of us are starting to feel the withdrawal symptoms of being away from our work spouses. It's a given, considering that the average South African employee spends around 40 hours per week working a typical 9 to 5 job.
PRPioneer.com conducted a survey of 3 000 employees working from home in quarantine about their relationship with their work spouse versus their actual partner. The results show that many are struggling to work under the same roof as their partner as 23 percent of South African employees say they miss their work spouse, more than they would their partner.
If you are in lockdown with your partner, it can be difficult to maintain a high level of productivity when it comes to your job. There are plenty of domestic distractions, and it appears that a large number of couples are distracted by each other as two in three couples said they are not as productive as they could be when working under the same roof.
In fact, 66 percent of employees working from home say they would be more productive if they were in lockdown with their work spouse as compared to their actual partner.
"While working from home, it is understandable why a large percentage of South African employees are struggling to focus on their work, especially with news of a global pandemic," said Jamie Ellis of PRPioneer.com.
"If you have the space, try working in a separate room to one another and plan your lunch hours at the same time. This way, you will each be able to give more attention to your work tasks, while still enjoying time together as a couple over lunch, dinner and in the evening."
The survey also found that a relatively common occurrence in South African households is when employees admit to accidentally calling their partner by their work spouse’s name.
Click here for tips on working from home with your spouse.