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Remote Working and Mental Health during the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Bertoni, Marco

    (University of Padova)

  • Cavapozzi, Danilo

    (Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia)

  • Pasini, Giacomo

    (Ca' Foscari University of Venice)

  • Pavese, Caterina

    (University of Padua)

Abstract

We use longitudinal data from the SHARE survey to estimate the causal effect of remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of senior Europeans. We face endogeneity concerns both for the probability of being employed during the pandemic and for the choice of different work arrangements conditional on employment. Our research design overcomes these issues by exploiting variation in the technical feasibility of remote working across occupations and in the legal restrictions to in-presence work across sectors. We estimate heterogeneous effects of remote working on mental health: we find negative effects for respondents with children at home and for those living in countries with low restrictions or low excess death rates due to the pandemic. On the other hand, the effect is positive for men and for respondents with no co-residing children.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertoni, Marco & Cavapozzi, Danilo & Pasini, Giacomo & Pavese, Caterina, 2021. "Remote Working and Mental Health during the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic," IZA Discussion Papers 14773, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14773
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Guillaume Gueguen & Claudia Senik, 2023. "Adopting telework: The causal impact of working from home on subjective well‐being," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 61(4), pages 832-868, December.
    2. Di Novi, C. & Paruolo, P. & Verzillo, S., 2022. "The Role of Employment Protection Legislation Regimes in Shaping the Impact of Job Disruption on Older Workers’ Mental Health in Times of COVID-19," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 22/03, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    3. Guillaume Gueguen & Claudia Senik, 2022. "Adopting Telework. The causal impact of working from home on subjective wellbeing," Working Papers halshs-03455306, HAL.
    4. Di Novi, Cinzia & Paruolo, Paolo & Verzillo, Stefano, 2023. "Does labour protection influence mental-health responses to employment shocks? Evidence on older workers in Europe," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. Bilgrami, A., 2023. "Working from home and mental health: before and during the COVID-19 pandemic," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 23/03, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    6. Guillaume Gueguen & Claudia Senik, 2022. "Adopting Telework. The causal impact of working from home on subjective wellbeing," PSE Working Papers halshs-03455306, HAL.
    7. Gueguen, Guillaume & Senik, Claudia, 2022. "Adopting Telework. The causal impact of working from home on subjective well-being in 2020," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Docweb) 2201, CEPREMAP.
    8. Bilgrami, Anam, 2023. "Working from home and mental health: Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1265, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mental health; remote working; COVID-19; SHARE;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions

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