Working from home in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional results from the Employees Working From Home (EWFH) study

Oakman, Jodi; Kinsman, Natasha; Lambert, Katrina A.; Stuckey, Rwth; Graham, Melissa; Weale, Victoria

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052733

Cited by 25 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…In the initial survey, participants identi ed the hardware and software technologies provided by themselves or their employers. We measured technology support and productivity based on scales developed by Oakman and colleagues [24]. Technology complexity was solely assessed in the initial survey using two items from the Technostress Creators Scale, allowing us to measure technostress (i.e.…”

Section: Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

Working from home: Impacts on mental and physical health of Canadian employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Somasundram

Hackney

Yung

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed various aspects of our lives, including how we work. Since the start of the pandemic, numerous organizations in Canada have mandated their employees to work from home (WFH) on a full-time basis. The rapid rise in the number of remote workers and the possibility for WFH continuing in the future signifies the importance of understanding the impacts of WFH on employee well-being over the course of the pandemic in Canada. We present the findings of two surveys (initial and 6-month follow-up) to investigate the effects of mandatory WFH arrangements on worker health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. We examined the changes in employees’ mental and physical health. Initial survey was completed between October 2020 and December 2020 (n = 1617); follow-up survey was completed between May 2021 and June 2021 (n = 382). Our analyses showed significant changes in various aspects of employee mental and physical health. Burnout, stress, general mental health, and job insecurity levels significantly decreased between the two time periods. Work-related sedentary behaviour reduced over time; however, the average proportion of time spent sitting during work hours was more than 80% in both surveys. Employees received more help and feedback from their colleagues and experienced a better sense of community with their co-workers over time. The findings can inform workers and organizations on the mental and physical health effects of mandatory WFH arrangements. By understanding the impacts of WFH, employers can develop effective strategies and implement policies that help protect workers’ health and well-being.

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Section: Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

Working from home: Impacts on mental and physical health of Canadian employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Somasundram

Hackney

Yung

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…Compared to men, women were more responsible for childcare, schooling, and household tasks, working primarily from home and reducing their work hours [ 19 , 23 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. Overload in caregiving and overall workload in women was related to heightened WFC and FWC, as well as parenting stress, general perceived stress, concerns about job insecurity, general and neck/shoulder pain, stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and lower life satisfaction [ 19 , 23 , 24 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. In particular, solely employed mothers were at higher risk of mental health adverse effects and job-related well-being than partnered working mothers [ 38 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations of Work-Family Conflict with Family-Specific, Work-Specific, and Well-Being-Related Variables in a Sample of Polish and Ukrainian Adults during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Kuśnierz

Rogowska

Chilicka

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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The conflict between work and family demands increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to changes in lifestyle related to the lockdown. This study examines the associations between work-family conflict (WFC) and family-work conflict (FWC) with work-specific, family-specific, and well-being-related variables during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results may be used in practice to improve the well-being of employees by adjusting home-based work and family areas of life to dynamic changes during the pandemic. The sample of 736 adults from Poland (53.26%) and Ukraine (46.74%), aged between 19 and 72 (M = 39.40; SD = 10.80), participated in the study. The cross-sectional study was performed using an online survey, including sociodemographic variables, measures of WFC, time pressure, remote work assessment (RWAS), physical health (GSRH), life satisfaction (SWLS), perceived stress (PSS-10), anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (PHQ-9). This study showed numerous inter-group differences in all variables across the country, gender, relationship status, parenthood, caring for children under 12, and remote working status. A high WFC is more likely among Polish workers (than Ukrainian workers), people with a low level of self-perceived time pressure, and high symptoms of stress. Caring for children under 12, low self-perceived time pressure, and high stress can predict FWC. Various paths lead from perceived stress via WFC and FWC, physical health, anxiety, and depression to life satisfaction, as suggested by the structural equation modeling analysis. Parents of children under 12 and women are the most vulnerable groups for increased WFC, FWC, and worse mental health and well-being. Prevention programs should focus on reducing stress, anxiety, and work demands in these adult populations. A unique contribution to the existing knowledge revealed patterns of associations between WFC and FWC in relation to well-being dimensions in a cross-cultural context during the pandemic.

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“…This study used data collected from the Employees Working from Home (EWFH) study conducted in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic from October 2020 to November 2021. Sampling and recruitment and a full description of the study profile for the EWFH study have been described elsewhere (Oakman et al 2022 ). Briefly, convenience sampling was used to recruit a sample of Australian adults aged 18 or more years who WFH 2 or more days per week during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Workstation location Based on the question, developed for this study, “When you are working at home, where do you usually work?”. Three response options were offered: Wherever—“I just find a place somewhere that’s free, such as on the kitchen table or other place”; Separate—“I have my own place in a separate room by myself”; and Interruptions—“I have my own place but in a room that can be busy with other people” (Oakman et al 2022 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Musculoskeletal pain trajectories of employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic

Oakman

Subas

Saila

et al. 2022

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Objectives In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid public health response which included mandatory working from home (WFH) for many employees. This study aimed to identify different trajectories of multisite musculoskeletal pain (MSP) amongst employees WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined the influence of work and non-work factors. Methods Data from 488 participants (113 males, 372 females and 3 other) involved in the Employees Working from Home (EWFH) study, collected in October 2020, April and November 2021 were analysed. Age was categorised as 18–35 years (n = 121), 36–55 years (n = 289) and 56 years and over (n = 78). Growth Mixture Modelling (GMM) was used to identify latent classes with different growth trajectories of MSP. Age, gender, working hours, domestic living arrangements, workstation comfort and location, and psychosocial working conditions were considered predictors of MSP. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression was used to identify work and non-work variables associated with group membership. Results Four trajectories of MSP emerged: high stable (36.5%), mid-decrease (29.7%), low stable (22.3%) and rapid increase (11.5%). Decreased workstation comfort (OR 1.98, CI 1.02, 3.85), quantitative demands (OR 1.68, CI 1.09, 2.58), and influence over work (OR 0.78, CI 0.54, 0.98) was associated with being in the high stable trajectory group compared to low stable. Workstation location (OR 3.86, CI 1.19, 12.52) and quantitative work demands (OR 1.44, CI 1.01, 2.47) was associated with the rapid increase group. Conclusions Findings from this study offer insights into considerations for reducing MSP in employees WFH. Key considerations include the need for a dedicated workstation, attention to workstation comfort, quantitative work demands, and ensuring employees have influence over their work.

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Working from home in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional results from the Employees Working From Home (EWFH) study

Cited by 25 publications

References 44 publications

Working from home: Impacts on mental and physical health of Canadian employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Working from home: Impacts on mental and physical health of Canadian employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Associations of Work-Family Conflict with Family-Specific, Work-Specific, and Well-Being-Related Variables in a Sample of Polish and Ukrainian Adults during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Musculoskeletal pain trajectories of employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic

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