Why Remote Work Exposes Your People-Pleasing Habits, By A Psychologist

"Remote work often promises freedom, flexible schedules, fewer interruptions and more autonomy over how the workday unfolds. And for many people, it delivers exactly that. But for others, working remotely silently intensifies a different pattern. A growing number of professionals report feeling constantly "on," overly responsive and anxious about being perceived as "difficult" or disengaged. Research suggests this counterintuitive effect is not a coincidence. Remote work environments can subtly expose and amplify people-pleasing tendencies that are often easier to manage in traditional office settings."

"(Take my science-inspired to know what your work habits reveal about you.) People-pleasing, to be clear, is not simply being nice or cooperative to the ones around you. In psychological terms, it is a pattern of prioritizing others' approval over one's own needs, often driven by fear of rejection or conflict. People-pleasing behaviors have previously been linked to high agreeableness, attachment anxiety and elevated sensitivity to social evaluation."

"Remote Work Changes The Social Equation In a physical office, social norms provide natural boundaries. People leave the building at a certain hour, and one's availability is visible. Informal cues signal when someone is busy, off duty or unavailable. Remote work, however, removes many of those signals. And when role boundaries are unclear, individuals rely more heavily on internal beliefs to guide behavior. For people with people-pleasing tendencies, this often means overcompensating."

Remote work often provides freedom, flexible schedules, fewer interruptions and more autonomy, but can also make people feel constantly "on", overly responsive and anxious about appearing difficult or disengaged. Remote environments can subtly expose and amplify people-pleasing tendencies by removing visible availability signals and informal office cues. People-pleasing is a pattern of prioritizing others' approval over one's own needs, often driven by fear of rejection or conflict and linked to high agreeableness, attachment anxiety and sensitivity to social evaluation. Self-silencing to maintain harmony raises stress and lowers well-being over time. Unclear role boundaries prompt reliance on internal beliefs and can lead to overcompensation and burnout.

Read at Forbes