Does remote ‘work’?

The Property Institute (TPI) Wellbeing & Resilience Survey carried out in 2025 found that out of the 426 property management professionals surveyed, 60% worked hybrid and 12% worked entirely at home.

On paper, working from home sounds ideal, and in fact it suits many people. No commuting, no sitting in a car for hours on end in rush-hour traffic, no crowded trains and no need to spend a fortune on petrol or train fares just to get to your desk. You can make a coffee when you want, do the school run, put the washing on, work in more comfortable surroundings and, in theory, enjoy a better work-life balance.

From a business perspective, it also works very well with many companies reporting improved productivity and of course post-COVID some companies even reduced office space or closed offices completely which made significant financial savings.

So, what's not to like?

Well, going back to the 2025 TPI Wellbeing & Resilience Survey, 28% of people reported an increase in mental health issues associated with homeworking, while only 17% reported a decrease.

These findings are significant because as a Property Manager, my working day is rarely quiet. There are huge numbers of emails to answer, leaseholders to deal with, contractors to chase, maintenance issues to resolve and problems that invariably seem to arrive at the worst possible moment. There is always something that needs attention, and usually something else waiting in the queue.

It's a job that can be demanding, frustrating, stressful and at other times, immensely rewarding. But it’s also a job that can leave you feeling surprisingly lonely and isolated.

You can spend eight hours or more a day dealing with people without actually being with anyone.

And that, I think, is one of the less-discussed aspects of working from home. We have become very good at measuring productivity, efficiency and the financial savings associated with remote working, but how often do we stop to consider the human cost of spending day after day working alone?

Because there is a difference between enjoying your own company and having very little choice but to spend most of your working life doing it.

For most people (not everyone of course), being around others is typically good for their mental health.  How many times have you been sitting at your desk and you’ve wanted to ‘vent’ to someone about the 6 page email you’ve just received that’s clearly been written entirely by ChatGPT!?  Or simply pick someone’s brain in the office regarding that tricky property management issue?

As human beings, we often thrive when we have regular and open communication channels with our family, friends and colleagues.  Ultimately, they all form part of our support network which we inevitably need to lean on from time to time.

In my view, the Hybrid model seems to work quite well in this respect because it allows people to go into the office a few days a week and spend time with their colleagues, whilst still maintaining a healthy work-life balance (or life-work balance as one of my friends recently quipped) by working from home some days.

The most recent TPI Wellbeing & Resilience Survey carried out in 2026 suggests that workplace flexibility, support and communication are associated with better wellbeing and staff retention. This is particularly important when you consider a whopping 45% of respondents said they were either leaving the profession or unsure whether they would stay.

To make matters worse, nearly two-thirds of respondents believed their mental health was at risk because of work and almost nine in ten respondents reported experiencing some form of abuse during the previous 12 months. This is often where property managers are dealing with complaints, compliance issues, service-charge increases and difficult resident interactions. 

This just shows the increasingly emotional demands placed on property managers.

Whether you work entirely from home, or hybrid, managers of staff should make it easy for their employees to discuss stress and be offered support where needed.

After all, a fully remote employee who appears productive may in fact be working excessive hours or struggling to disconnect behind the scenes and unfortunately sometimes, the reality of working remotely for some employers can mean ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

Whilst there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to how we work as everyone is different, I believe as a profession we should be doing more to support the people that work in it. Particularly those that work remotely and who you don’t see on a daily basis.

As the late, great Jerry Springer used to say; "Take care of yourselves, and each other”.

Tony Martin FTPI CertCIH AssocRICS, Deputy Head of Estate and Block Management, Caxtons Property Consultants