Progress of mental strain in German public administrations in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Purpose Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an acceleration in the usage of digital working methods occurred in the setting of German public administrations. Besides the ostensible risk of infection due to the virus, compound mental stress arose for the employees. A subsequent progression of mental strain is to be examined. The aim is to estimate a residual pandemic effect approximated by controlling common influencing factors. Methods An online survey was conducted in 2020 and repeated 2022 among > 500 employees from three public administrations in Germany. Mental strain was measured using the Wuppertal Screening Instrument for Psychological Strain. The temporal variation was operationalized by the 1st and 2nd survey as an independent variable. For hypothesis testing, a t-test was calculated. A pooled OLS regression of the time-dependent differences was performed as a pre/post evaluation, supplemented by Breusch-Pagan and Durbin-Watson tests as well as calculation of variance inflation factors. Results More than 70% of the public administration’s employees experienced non-optimal mental strain. The multiple regression model showed a significant increase in mental strain as well when the influence of socio-demographic changes on the department level was controlled for (β = -0.095, t = -2.275, df = 30, p < 0.05). Children, age and university degree were significant predictors of mental strain. The R-square revealed that about 40% of the variance in the temporal variation of mental strain could be explained by the temporal variation of the independent variables. Conclusion The observed influential factors explain a significant proportion of the increased mental strain in German public administration workers. Still, more than half of the increase remains unexplained. Environmental influences within the observed period were largely determined by the pandemic conditions. The results place emphasis on the health-related challenges as consequences even beyond the pandemic.