How does the working environment transition impact perceived work-related quality of life for postsecondary teachers within the United States?

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected societal norms and shifted much of the workforce in the United States to a virtual landscape. Working and learning from home (or “remotely”) has become common in nearly every field, including higher level education. Each institution has implemented policies regarding remote work, and with the different policies educators are confronted with different conditions which affect their perceived level of stress and quality of working life. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine how the transition to working from home contributes to work-related stress and perceived quality of life among postsecondary educators during the first year of COVID-19 related institutional working policies. METHOD: The study used a cross-sectional survey design. The survey was distributed online using email and social media to 1,575 postsecondary teachers in all four regions of the United States between February and March 2021. The survey collected demographic and institutional policy information related to remote work, in addition to the Work-Related Quality of Life Survey which gathers data on indicators of general well-being, job satisfaction, perceived control at work, perceived stress at work, working conditions, and work-life balance. RESULTS: Data was analyzed from 222 (14% response rate) respondents; 49% worked remotely full-time, 47% worked on a hybrid schedule (part-time remote, part-time on campus), and 4% were on campus full-time. The findings suggest that postsecondary teachers who worked in a hybrid program throughout 2020 felt they had more control at work and a higher overall quality of working life, while those who worked remote only or on-campus only felt more stress at work. The results also suggest that less time spent working from home contributes to higher stress and the perception of decreased control at work. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the survey results, remote working policies in higher education institutions have an impact on work-related quality of life and stress felt by their faculty. These findings can be used to guide the implementation of work-from-home or return-to-campus policies.

The salience of remote leadership: implications for follower self-control and work-life balance

“…In the wake of COVID-19 and the rapid move toward remote work, there has been extensive discussion regarding WLB for remote workers (e.g. Dandalt, 2021; Horton and Jacobs, 2022). While studies have shown that WLB became difficult in the height of the pandemic (Horton and Jacobs, 2022; Palumbo, 2020), studies have also shown that for some working remotely led to greater flexibility and better WLB (Dandalt, 2021).…”

“…Dandalt, 2021; Horton and Jacobs, 2022). While studies have shown that WLB became difficult in the height of the pandemic (Horton and Jacobs, 2022; Palumbo, 2020), studies have also shown that for some working remotely led to greater flexibility and better WLB (Dandalt, 2021). The current study complements this research by showing that the benefits of remote work may hinge on leader behaviors.…”

“…For example, past studies have used scales with fewer options (e.g. three-point Likert scales assessing whether work is fully remote, hybrid, or in person), whereas others have captured remote work frequency as a percentage of an employee's workweek (Horton and Jacobs, 2022; Perry et al. , 2018).…”

“…For example, past studies have used scales with fewer options (e.g. three-point Likert scales assessing whether work is fully remote, hybrid, or in person), whereas others have captured remote work frequency as a percentage of an employee's workweek (Horton and Jacobs, 2022;Perry et al, 2018). Given the lack of consensus regarding the measurement of remote work, it is important for future work in this area to carefully consider how to best measure remote work in relation to theory.…”

“…Due to health measures used to stop the spread of COVID-19 (e.g. social distancing, lockdowns), many workplaces adapted by transitioning to remote work (Horton and Jacobs, 2022). Given these rapid changes in where and how people work post-COVID-19, there have been many concerns raised by organizations about how to effectively lead a remote or hybrid workforce.…”