Effects of Electronics Installation and Repair Onsite Technicians’ Perception of Risks to COVID-19 on Their Fears

Impact of In-Home Repair Services on Physical and Mental Harm among Essential Workers: The Mediating Effect of Fear and Moderating Effect of Types of Employment

“…The results of this study showed that fear among appliance installation and repair technicians increases with a greater number of places visited to provide in-person services. A previous study reported that prolonged face-to-face contact with a customer during in-person services influences workers’ emotional status, such as fear [ 9 ]. Thus, anti-infection measures need to be implemented in workplaces for essential workers providing in-person services to prevent fear and contribute to stable and continuous work performance.…”

“…This study attempted to establish a hypothetical model describing the severity of physical and mental harm among essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. With reference to previous findings that in-home services contribute to physical and mental harm [ 9 , 10 ], this study tested the hypothesis using multigroup path analysis. The mediating effect of fear on the relationship between in-home services and physical and mental harm in permanently employed and contract-employed workers was analyzed using multigroup path analysis.…”

“…In particular, essential workers such as appliance installation and repair technicians are required to visit customers’ homes or offices and are thus at an elevated risk of COVID-19 infection. Extended durations of face-to-face contact with customers during in-home or in-office services increase the technicians’ fears [ 9 ]. The fear of COVID-19 encompasses fear of the infection itself, as well as the fear of social stigma and anxiety about potential changes in the quality of life [ 10 ].…”