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Business Review - Remote Psychology

Working from home may sound like a dream job, but in this episode of “The Business Review” marketing expert and researcher Dr. Sara Perry explains why remote work isn’t for everyone.

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Working from home might seem like a dream job, but it’s not for everyone, says Dr. Sara Perry, marketing professor at Baylor University.  Psychology plays an important part in determining if someone will be successful.

“People handle stress differently. A lot of this seems to be related to this trait of emotional stability, which is a personality trait that describes how even-keeled someone is. And the flip-side of this would be if you react very emotionally or feel emotions very deeply, you tend to ride the roller-coaster of emotions as challenges hit you in life and at work. That would be lower emotional stability. We found that people with lower emotional stability may not thrive as well and may even become more stressed out by remote work, particularly as they get more autonomy, this independence, the discretion to do your job as you best see fit. So in the context of remote work you’re often isolated, you’re given a lot of independence and freedom typically, but not always, on how to do your job, so it may be harder to find answers to questions or to find social connections with people, which is another need that we all have.”

But for those who thrive on autonomy, working from home can be quite rewarding, as long as social interaction is part of the mix.

“So that social interaction piece is really important. If you can meet that need then you can protect your wellbeing. You can also potentially be more productive.”

The Business Review is a production of KWBU, Livingston & McKay, and the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University.

C.J. Jackson drives on sunshine and thrives on family, NPR and PBS. She is the assistant dean of communications and marketing at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business and host of public radio’s “Business Review.” Previously, she was director of marketing communications for a large, multinational corporation. C.J. has two daughters—Bri in San Antonio and Devon in Chicago—and four grandchildren. She lives with a little yellow cat named for an ancient Hawaiian tripping weapon.