Working from Anywhere, But Not Always Connected: The Spirituality Crisis of Work in the Teleworking Era

In recent years, the way people work has undergone a significant transformation. Office spaces that once served as the center of daily activities have now shifted into laptop screens. Meetings take place through video conferencing platforms, discussions happen in chat rooms, and collaboration occurs without physical face-to-face interaction.

Remote work, or teleworking, is no longer an exception—it has become a new standard in modern work patterns. However, behind this flexibility lies an often overlooked challenge: how to maintain human connection in the absence of physical interaction.

The Remote Work Experience and Psychological Challenges

Many remote workers describe a similar experience. Tasks are completed and targets are achieved, yet the sense of togetherness that once existed in physical office spaces often feels diminished.

“Work gets done, but it sometimes feels like working alone,” is a sentiment frequently echoed by remote employees.

This phenomenon is not only individual but also reflected in global findings related to remote working conditions. It highlights that the challenges of teleworking are not merely technical, but also deeply connected to psychological and social experiences in daily work life.

A global perspective is provided by the State of the Global Workplace 2025 report published by Gallup. The report found that remote workers experience higher levels of stress compared to those working on-site. About 45 percent of remote workers reported experiencing stress in the days prior to the survey, while 46 percent of hybrid workers reported similar conditions.

In addition to stress, remote workers are also more likely to report negative emotions such as anger, sadness, and loneliness compared to on-site employees. Interestingly, hybrid workers tend to report lower levels of negative emotions than fully on-site workers.

The survey involved respondents from 160 countries, totaling 227,437 workers aged 15 and above, collected between April and December 2024 through face-to-face and telephone interviews.

These findings illustrate that the challenges of remote work are a global phenomenon. Teleworking does not only reshape productivity systems but also significantly affects emotional well-being and social connectedness in the workplace.

Workplace Spirituality as a Key Factor in Teleworker Performance

Within this context, the concept of workplace spirituality has gained increasing attention. It refers to the extent to which individuals find meaning in their work, feel connected to their teams, and experience alignment between personal values and organizational goals—even in virtual environments.

As digital work systems expand, this dimension becomes increasingly relevant. While technology enables constant connectivity, it does not always foster a sense of belonging or emotional engagement at work.

Recent studies in human resource management have begun to position workplace spirituality as a crucial factor in understanding teleworker performance in the era of digital transformation.

Economist from UNU Yogyakarta, Dr. Ir. Suhada, in his study titled “From Workspace Spirituality to Performance: How Digital Skills and Innovative Work Behavior Shape Teleworking Outcomes,” explains that remote workers who maintain a sense of meaning in their work and feel socially connected to their teams tend to demonstrate higher stability in task execution, stronger adaptability, and greater engagement in digital collaboration.

This finding reinforces the idea that the transformation of work is not solely driven by technological advancement or systems, but also by a more fundamental human factor: how individuals interpret and give meaning to their work.

The Role of Organizations in Building a Human-Centered Digital Work Culture

As remote work becomes increasingly widespread, the challenge ahead is no longer limited to efficiency and productivity. Organizations are now required to rebuild a sense of connection within work environments that no longer exist in physical form.

From an organizational perspective, digital transformation is not only about investing in technology, but also about developing a meaningful, human-centered work culture. Companies need to continuously enhance employees’ digital skills to ensure adaptability in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

In addition, work systems must be designed to strengthen collaboration and a sense of belonging among employees, even in virtual settings. A supportive environment that encourages innovation is also essential, providing space, trust, and opportunities for employees to experiment and develop new ideas.

Furthermore, performance evaluation systems for teleworkers should not only focus on output, but also consider digital task execution, adaptability to change, and the ability to collaborate in virtual environments.

This approach is considered more aligned with the characteristics of modern work—flexible, digital, and collaborative. [Latifah]

*Sources: 

1. Remote Workers Experience Higher Levels of Stress. Available at: https://data.goodstats.id/statistic/pekerja-remote-punya-tingkat-stres-lebih-tinggi-aveV6

2. From workspace spirituality to performance: How digital skills and innovative work behavior shape teleworking outcomes : https://www.intangiblecapital.org/index.php/ic/article/view/3526