Telework benefits and associated health problems during the long COVID-19 era

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Teleworking became a necessary practice as an alternative to office work during the long COVID-19 era. OBJECTIVES: To recognize the telework associated benefits and health problems and to assess the relationship between some teleworkers’ characteristics, their health problems with job satisfaction and recuperation for promoting telework practices. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among employees working remotely in different work sectors using a questionnaire assessing job satisfaction and recuperation. RESULTS: Telework benefits included saving time and money (89.3%), minimizing the COVID-19 spread (86.9%), and balancing of work and life (63.4%). Telework associated health problems included musculoskeletal (78.2%), work-related stress (65.9%), and visual problems (47%). Telework job satisfaction was significantly higher among married male workers, working less than 40hs/week, and with previous remote working experience before COVID-19. On the other hand, married female teleworkers working more than 40hs/week and without previous remote working experience before COVID-19 had significantly more perceived fatigue and less recuperation. All teleworkers with reported health problems showed significantly more perceived fatigue and less recuperation. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the participants recommended continuing teleworking post-COVID-19 due to its benefits on their working and social life. Telework would enables the employers to adapt and satisfy the teleworkers’ expectations to maintain their work and productivity.

Teletrabalho durante a pandemia de Covid-19 e a saúde de servidores de uma Universidade

“…6 Quanto a palavra organização, referiram a necessidade e dificuldades de se organizarem entre as tarefas domiciliares e as de trabalho, havendo necessidades de acordos que envolviam também a utilização de espaços no ambiente domiciliar. No teletrabalho em casa conflitos podem surgir pelas dificuldades em se colocar limites entre trabalho e trabalho doméstico, além das interferências de familiares, especialmente aqueles com crianças pequenas em casa (Zalat & Bolbol, 2022). Ainda, no teletrabalho em casa, foram mencionados conflitos interfamiliares pela utilização dos recursos disponíveis (equipamentos de informática, wifi), além das distrações familiares (Tomasina & Pisani, 2022).…”

“…Em um estudo realizado sobre as condições do trabalho docente em instituições de ensino na modalidade remota, houve relatos de que estes não dispunham de um espaço específico para a realização do trabalho, apenas uma mesa e cadeira, e quanto às tecnologias e equipamentos, relataram que dispunham de apenas parte dos recursos de que necessitavam, como computador e conexão de internet (Bernardo et al, 2020). Ainda, como o trabalho profissional e trabalho doméstico ficaram sem espaços claros, conflitos familiares surgiram, se agravando com a presença de filhos pequenos na família (Zalat & Bolbol, 2022). Também surgiram dificuldades com problemas de conexão, interrupções pessoais, e falhas em comunicação além dos problemas de isolamento (Ortiz-Lozano, Martinez-Morán & Férnandez-Munhoz, 2021).…”

“…A falta de mobiliário adequado para as atividades no teletrabalho pode causar um aumento de desordens osteomusculares (Larrea-Araujo et al, 2021). Porém, as modalidades de teletrabalho podem trazer vantagens para Research, Society and Development, v. 12, n. 1, e6112139380, 2023 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v12i1.39380 3 alguns trabalhadores, como a flexibilização dos espaços de trabalho, e do tempo dedicado a ele, uma vez que não há perdas de tempo em deslocamentos (Zalat & Bolbol, 2022).…”

Telework Conditions, Ergonomic and Psychosocial Risks, and Musculoskeletal Problems in the COVID-19 Pandemic

“… 24 , 34 Especially those with previous experience in telework and those without any health problems showed greater satisfaction with teleworking during this period. 23 The increase in productivity in telework can be positively related to the workers' physical and mental health and to the existence of a dedicated place to work at their homes. 34 In another study, this condition was also related to a better assessment of the suitability of the workplace in relation to those without a dedicated place to work at their homes, and the ergonomic and environmental suitability of the home workplace was linked to a positive view and a better perception of the advantages of teleworking and to greater productivity.…”

“… 31 – 33 Specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic, previous studies pointed to an increase in workload when compared with face-to-face work carried out before the pandemic, 6 , 7 , 34 whereas the participants mentioned an increase in productivity and satisfaction with telework, with a large percentage of workers expressing an interest in maintaining partial or full telework after the pandemic. 11 , 23 , 24 , 35 , 36 …”