Remote Work Decreases Psychological and Physical Stress Responses, but Full-Remote Work Increases Presenteeism

Shimura, Akiyoshi; Yokoi, Katsunori; Ishibashi, Yoshiki; Akatsuka, Yusaku; Inoue, Takeshi

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.730969

Cited by 70 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Companies, therefore, should create means for mobile workers to have access to support even when they are not in the office. This result is also supported by the study of Shimura et al ( 2021 ) which indicates that resources like social support have to be taken into account if remote work is to be successfully introduced at workplaces. There was no statistical difference in the perception of work-related social resources between mobile workers and office workers.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Therefore, it is not just a question of whether people work mobile, but also the extent to which they work from home (Rodríguez-Modroño and López-Igual 2021 ). Similarly, Shimura et al ( 2021 ) found that full remote work (5 days/week) led to a reduction in productivity due to increased presentism. The inhibition threshold to work sick in the home office is very low, since the workplace is not far away, work can be done more flexibly, e.g., starting work later, and there is no danger of infecting colleagues.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

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Association between mobile work and work ability: a longitudinal study under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Berling

Jöllenbeck

Stamer

et al. 2022

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Objective This study examines the effect of mobile work on work ability as direct predictor and as factor moderating workplace stressors and resources. Originally, the study focused on the effects of mobile work on work ability in a mobile test group compared to office workers. As the study period of 1 year collided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions, we can now explore the association of mobile work and work ability before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This longitudinal, exploratory study took place in a medium-sized company in the social insurance sector in Germany. We used a mixed-methods design (online survey and focus group interviews) with two survey dates 1 year apart (T0: summer/autumn 2019 (before COVID-19 pandemic), T1: summer 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic, after first strict lockdown)). Quantitative data, which are reported here, were collected by means of an online questionnaire, which includes questions on mobile work and validated measures for work-related stressors and resources and work ability. Non-parametric tests, regression analysis, and logistic regression models were used for data analysis. Results The linked data set of both survey dates includes N = 102 persons (men: 37%, mean age: 41–50 years). Interestingly, we found an improvement in work ability over the course of the study (p = 0.007), although it included the first and most drastic COVID-19 restrictions in Germany. Before the pandemic, correlations between work ability and work-related stressors (e.g., work–privacy conflicts) and resources (e.g., sense of community) were evident. Some of these factors are moderated by mobile work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mobile work was identified as independent factor for work ability. In addition, technology competence conviction gained importance as a personal resource in our cohort. Conclusions Work ability can be influenced by many factors. Our study, which allowed for a comparison of work ability before and during COVID-19 pandemic, suggests that mobile work can be especially helpful to maintain work ability in times of change. Our findings support the notion that—under normal conditions—mobile work can influence work ability via work-related stressors and resources. In times of changes, it can have an independent effect on work ability. It must be assumed that the effects can be highly individual or context-specific.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Association between mobile work and work ability: a longitudinal study under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Berling

Jöllenbeck

Stamer

et al. 2022

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The effect of changes in working style might be greater than that of exercise therapy on work productivity. A survey of workers in remote work before and during the COVID-19 pandemic conducted in Japan in 2020 also reported that full remote work of 5 days a week reduced work productivity [ 50 ]. Therefore, the difference in work productivity between the 2 groups due to exercise therapy may not have been observed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Effect of Patient Education and Strengthening Exercise Therapy Using a Mobile Messaging App on Work Productivity in Japanese Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: Open-Label, Randomized, Parallel-Group Trial

Itoh¹,

Mishima²,

Yoshida³

et al. 2022

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Artificial intelligence–assisted interactive health promotion systems are useful tools for the management of musculoskeletal conditions. Objective This study aimed to explore the effects of web-based video patient education and strengthening exercise therapy, using a mobile messaging app, on work productivity and pain in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) receiving pharmacological treatment. Methods Patients with CLBP were randomly allocated to either the exercise group, who received education and exercise therapy using a mobile messaging app, or the conventional group. For patient education, a web-based video program was used to provide evidence-based thinking regarding the importance of a cognitive behavioral approach for CLBP. The exercise therapy was developed in accordance with the recommendations for alignment, core muscles, and endogenous activation, including improvement of posture and mobility for proper alignment, stimulation and/or strengthening of deep muscles for spinal stability, and operation of intrinsic pain for the activation of endogenous substances by aerobic exercise. Both groups continued to receive the usual medical care with pharmacological treatment. The end points were changes in work productivity, pain intensity, quality of life, fear of movement, and depression. The observation period for this study was 12 weeks. An analysis adjusted for baseline values, age at the time of consent acquisition, sex, and willingness to strengthen the exercise therapy was performed. Results The exercise and conventional groups included 48 and 51 patients, with a mean age of 47.9 years (SD 10.2 years; n=27, 56.3% male patients) and 46.9 years (SD 12.3 years; n=28, 54.9% male patients) in the full analysis set, respectively. No significant impact of these interventions on work productivity was observed in the exercise group compared with the conventional group (primary end point: Quantity and Quality method; 0.062 vs 0.114; difference between groups −0.053, 95% CI −0.184 to 0.079; P=.43). However, the exercise group showed consistently better trends for the other end points than did the conventional group. Compared with the conventional group, the exercise group showed a significant improvement in the symptoms of low back pain (3.2 vs 3.8; difference between groups −0.5, 95% CI −1.1 to 0.0; P=.04), quality of life (EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Level: 0.068 vs 0.006; difference between groups 0.061, 95% CI 0.008 to 0.114; P=.03), and fear of movement at week 12 (−2.3 vs 0.5; difference between groups −2.8, 95% CI −5.5 to −0.1; P=.04). Conclusions This study suggests that patient education and strengthening exercise therapy using a mobile messaging app may be useful for treating CLBP. This study does not reveal the effect of therapeutic interventions on CLBP on work productivity. Thus, further research is required to assess work productivity with therapeutic interventions. Trial Registration University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000041037; https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000046866

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“…15 Job stress, fully remote work, sleep disturbances, economic factors, workplace cultures, positive orientations toward work, etc., may increase presenteeism. [15][16][17][18][19] The contribution of depression to presenteeism is significant and has been investigated in detail previously. 20 Hence, adverse experiences in childhood and neuroticism, which are closely associated with depression, are expected to influence presenteeism.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Victimization in Childhood Influences Presenteeism in Adulthood via Mediation by Neuroticism and Perceived Job Stressors

Hashimoto¹,

Ichiki²,

Ishii³

et al. 2022

NDT

Self Cite

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Background: Victimization in childhood profoundly influences the mental health of individuals in adulthood, causing depression, anxiety disorder, suicidality, and self-harm, which leads to productivity loss in the workplace, ie, presenteeism. However, the specific effects of victimization on presenteeism remain unclear. We hypothesized that victimization affects the presenteeism of workers through neuroticism and perceived job stressors and analyzed the association among these factors by path analysis. Methods: A questionnaire survey, including demographic and clinical data, Japanese versions of victimization scale in childhood, Brief Job Stress Questionnaire, and Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ), was administered to 443 adult volunteers between April 2017 and April 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. Multiple variables were analyzed by multiple regression analysis and path analysis. The Institutional Review Board of Tokyo Medical University approved this study. Results: Path analysis demonstrated that neuroticism and perceived job stressors had direct effects on presenteeism in the WLQ. Victimization indirectly increased presenteeism via neuroticism and its subsequent effects on perceived job stressors. This model accounted for 18% of the variability of presenteeism (R 2 = 0.180). Limitations: There may be possible recall bias owing to the self-administration of the questionnaire. In addition, this study had a cross-sectional design, and hence the causal associations among variables should be validated in a prospective study. Conclusion:The present study indicates that the experience of victimization in childhood is a risk factor of adulthood presenteeism, and this effect is mediated by neuroticism and adverse effects on job stressors. These results suggest that multiple factors, including childhood victimization, neuroticism, and job stressors, should be considered when assessing and preventing presenteeism.

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Remote Work Decreases Psychological and Physical Stress Responses, but Full-Remote Work Increases Presenteeism

Cited by 70 publications

References 32 publications

Association between mobile work and work ability: a longitudinal study under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Association between mobile work and work ability: a longitudinal study under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Evaluation of the Effect of Patient Education and Strengthening Exercise Therapy Using a Mobile Messaging App on Work Productivity in Japanese Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: Open-Label, Randomized, Parallel-Group Trial

Victimization in Childhood Influences Presenteeism in Adulthood via Mediation by Neuroticism and Perceived Job Stressors

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