Promoting remote workers' psychological health: Effective management practices during the COVID‐19 crisis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify specific management practices that promote the psychological health of remote workers in the context of the COVID‐19 crisis. A two‐round Delphi study was conducted among 28 teleworkers and 22 managers. A list of 60 specific management practices was presented and participants had to identify whether each one could be used in the current remote working context and, if so, how useful it was to promote psychological health at work. Results indicate that most specific management practices usually used in a face‐to‐face setting can also be used in a remote context (85%). Practices that show consideration, establishing work structure, and allowing flexibility were also identified as the most useful to promote remote workers' psychological health during the pandemic. This study contributes to the advancement of knowledge about specific management practices, remote working, and crisis management. It also suggests specific practices that managers can adopt to promote the psychological health of their employees during a period of crisis, even while managing from a distance.

Production and reception of human resource management practices for health promotion

“…Previous studies pointed out that specific management practices, defined through managers’ concrete behaviors, contribute to the management of work stressors on managers’ and staff’s mental health because they predict well-being and overall health ( Bouchard and Meunier, 2022 ). Three principles emerge as relevant to thinking about HRMP: the principle of reciprocity, consistency, and scarcity.…”

“…This study contributes to the sustainable performance of academic managers by presenting which HRMP adopted in their daily work contributes to mental health promotion in universities. Therefore, access to the practices identified and detailed through concrete behaviors as done in this study, can assist managers in efforts to promote staff mental health from their daily actions ( Bouchard and Meunier, 2022 ).…”

Etäjohtaminen koronapandemian aikana – työn vaatimukset yliopistossa työskentelevien esihenkilöiden kokemina

“…2021). Kasvokkaisen vuorovaikutuksen puute voi vaikeuttaa myötätunnon osoittamista työntekijöille, roolimallina toimimista, kannustamista tiettyihin konkreettisiin tekoihin sekä työn vaatimustekijöiden tunnistamista (Bouchard & Meunier 2022). Lisäksi monet esihenkilöt eivät olleet aiemmin johtaneet etätyötä, ja heidän työnsä muuttui nopeasti, suunnittelematta ja ilman valinnan mahdollisuutta.…”

“…Vastauksissa korostui myös se, että ylimmältä johdolta toivotaan ohjeiden ja linjausten lisäksi arvostuksen ja myötätunnon osoittamista. Huomaavaisuuden osoittaminen listattiin yhdeksi hyödyllisimmistä pandemia-ajan johtamiskäytännöksi kanadalaisessa Delphi-tutkimuksessa (Bouchard & Meunier 2022). Tämän tutkimuksen perusteella se on tärkeää myös esihenkilöille.…”

How does compulsory citizenship behavior disturb police employees' psychological health? The roles of work–family conflict and putting family first

“…Psychological health is “inter and intraindividual levels of positive functioning that can include one's relatedness with others and self-referent attitudes that include one's sense of mastery and personal growth” (Burns, 2017, p. 1). Nowadays, psychological health is described as overall well-being that includes both lack of sickness and the existence of positive factors (Bouchard and Meunier, 2023). Moreover, poor psychological health has a similar impact as poor physical health on different aspects of one's life, like satisfaction and performance (Beaulieu et al.…”