Survey says 1 in 5 miss 'work spouse' more than actual spouse

Photo: Contributed

As the province of B.C. and the rest of Canada begin the process of getting back to business, including returning to work, a new survey says one in five Canadians admit missing their "work spouse," more than they would their partner.

PRPioneer.com, a provider of PR and digital marketing resources, conducted a survey of 3,500 employees working from home in quarantine about their relationship with their work spouse vs. their actual partner. Turns out many are struggling to work under the same roof as their partner.

Some of the more interesting findings include:

• 1 in 5 Canadians admit missing their work spouse, more than they would their partner
• 2 in 3 Canadian couples say they are not as productive as they could be when working under the same roof
• 1 in 10 admit accidentally calling their partner by their work spouse’s name

"If you work in an office team environment, there may be a colleague or co-worker with whom you share a strong bond – someone you consider your ‘work spouse’," says Jamie Ellis of PRPioneer.com.

The average Canadian worker spends around 40 hours per week at a typical nine to five job, often more time than they spend with spouses or their significant other.

So if you are romantically involved with an actual partner, having a work spouse may trigger feelings of jealousy in your real-life relationship.

According to the survey, 66 per cent 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. 

Ellis says, "perhaps this is because it's easier to discuss projects and deadlines with your colleague or co-worker who fully understands your industry, as well as bounce ideas off one another in order to maximize efficiency."

PRPioneer.com has also done some work on the best way to maximize your efficiency while working from home with your partner.

"While working from home, it is understandable why a large percentage of Canadians are struggling to focus on their work, especially with news of a global pandemic,’ says Ellis.

"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."