Title
Perceived health and productivity when working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic
Author
Appel-Meulenbroek, Rianne (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Voulon, Thijs (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Bergefurt, Lisanne (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Arkesteijn, M.H. (TU Delft Real Estate Management)
Hoekstra, B.S. (Center for People and Buildings)
der Schaaf, Pity Jongens Van (Aestate Ontrafelexperts)
Date
2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, office workers were obliged to work from home (WFH). Alongside known positive aspects of home-based telework, it is associated with reduced health and productivity impacts. Its success depends on employee and environmental characteristics. OBJECTIVE: This paper fills the gap in knowledge on the mediating role of health between personal and environmental factors and employee productivity, when obliged to work from home full-time. It covers health in full (physical, mental, and social) unlike other WFH studies. METHODS: Two large survey-based datasets (gathered April 27th - November 20th, 2020) were analysed resp. with a path model and descriptive analyses. The data provide experiences on health and productivity of resp. 25,058 and 18,859 Dutch office workers from different public organisations, who were obliged to work from home during the COVID-19 lockdowns. RESULTS: In general, the workers in the sample perceived their health to be quite good. Path analysis revealed that gender, age, education, the at-home workspace, the presence of children in the household, and perceived organisational support were significantly related to self-perceived productivity. However, most of these effects were found to be mediated by physical, mental, and/or social health indicators. Possible explanations for health issues from the descriptive analyses were sedentary behaviour, unsuitable furniture, having to be at home, social isolation and changed content and frequency of contact with colleagues. CONCLUSION: Findings imply that specifically engagement and organisational support of teleworkers are most relevant to steer on to ensure productivity while WFH.
Subject
employee
statistical model
Teleworking
workplace
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8883cdfb-b77a-415e-a08a-9969d25877cf
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-220575
Embargo date
2024-04-19
ISSN
1051-9815
Source
Work: a journal of prevention, assessment & rehabilitation, 76 (2), 417-435
Bibliographical note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.
Part of collection
Institutional Repository
Document type
journal article
Rights
© 2023 Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, Thijs Voulon, Lisanne Bergefurt, M.H. Arkesteijn, B.S. Hoekstra, Pity Jongens Van der Schaaf