IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i10p6230-d820225.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Perceived Work Ability during Enforced Working from Home Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic among Finnish Higher Educational Staff

Author

Listed:
  • Saila Kyrönlahti

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

  • Subas Neupane

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

  • Clas-Håkan Nygård

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

  • Jodi Oakman

    (Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia)

  • Soile Juutinen

    (Work Research Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

  • Anne Mäkikangas

    (Work Research Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

Abstract

Background: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, many employees were forced to suddenly shift to working from home (WFH). How this disruption of work affected employees’ work ability is not known. In this study, we investigated the developmental profiles of work ability among Finnish higher education employees in a one-year follow-up during the enforced WFH. Secondly, we investigated demographic, organizational, and ergonomic factors associated with the developmental profiles. Methods: A longitudinal web-survey was conducted with four measurement points (April 2020–February 2021). Employees of a Finnish university who answered the questionnaire at baseline and at least at two follow-up surveys ( n = 678) were included (71% women, 45% teachers/research staff, 44% supporting staff, 11% hired students). Perceived work ability was measured on a scale of 1–5 in all timepoints. Latent class growth curve analysis was used to identify profiles of work ability. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the associations of demographic factors, perceived stress, musculoskeletal pain, functionality of home for work, and organizational support with the work ability profiles. Results: Six distinct work ability profiles were identified. For most (75%), work ability remained stable during the follow-up. A total of 17% had a favourable trend (very good-stable or increasing) of work ability, and 8% had non-favourable (poor-stable or decreasing). Poor ergonomics at home, low organizational support, high stress, and musculoskeletal pain were associated with non-favourable development of work ability. Conclusions: Heterogeneity in development of work ability during forced WFH was found. Several factors were identified through which work ability can be supported.

Suggested Citation

  • Saila Kyrönlahti & Subas Neupane & Clas-Håkan Nygård & Jodi Oakman & Soile Juutinen & Anne Mäkikangas, 2022. "Perceived Work Ability during Enforced Working from Home Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic among Finnish Higher Educational Staff," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:10:p:6230-:d:820225
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/10/6230/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/10/6230/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jaana-Piia Mäkiniemi & Atte Oksanen & Anne Mäkikangas, 2021. "Loneliness and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Roles of Personal, Social and Organizational Resources on Perceived Stress and Exhaustion among Finnish University Employees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Blackmore, E.R. & Stansfeld, S.A. & Weller, I. & Munce, S. & Zagorski, B.M. & Stewart, D.E., 2007. "Major depressive episodes and work stress: Results from a national population survey," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(11), pages 2088-2093.
    3. Kapteyn, Arie & Smith, James P. & van Soest, Arthur, 2008. "Dynamics of work disability and pain," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 496-509, March.
    4. Antimo Moretti & Fabrizio Menna & Milena Aulicino & Marco Paoletta & Sara Liguori & Giovanni Iolascon, 2020. "Characterization of Home Working Population during COVID-19 Emergency: A Cross-Sectional Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-13, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Annukka Tapani & Merja Sinkkonen & Kirsi Sjöblom & Katrien Vangrieken & Anne Mäkikangas, 2022. "Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Kerstin Nilsson & Clas-Håkan Nygård & Tove Midtsundstad & Peter Lundqvist & Joanne Crawford, 2023. "Sustainable Healthy Working Life for All Ages—Work Environment, Age Management and Employability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-5, February.
    3. Manwel Debono & Christine Garzia, 2023. "Trade Union Members’ Experiences and Attitudes towards Working from Home during the Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-22, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Umut Oguzoglu, 2010. "Dynamics of work limitation and work in Australia," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(6), pages 656-669, June.
    2. Stefania Angela Di Fusco & Antonella Spinelli & Lorenzo Castello & Edoardo Mocini & Michele Massimo Gulizia & Fabrizio Oliva & Domenico Gabrielli & Giuseppe Imperoli & Furio Colivicchi, 2021. "Impact of Working from Home on Cardiovascular Health: An Emerging Issue with the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-12, November.
    3. Ólafsdóttir, Thorhildur & Ásgeirsdóttir, Tinna Laufey & Norton, Edward C., 2020. "Valuing pain using the subjective well-being method," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    4. Pelly, Diane & Daly, Michael & Delaney, Liam & Doyle, Orla, 2022. "Worker stress, burnout, and wellbeing before and during the COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115098, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Malou Grubben & Sara Wiertsema & Remco Hoekman & Gerbert Kraaykamp, 2022. "Is Working from Home during COVID-19 Associated with Increased Sports Participation? Contexts of Sports, Sports Location and Socioeconomic Inequality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-12, August.
    6. Hui Deng & Wenbing Wu & Yihua Zhang & Xiaoyan Zhang & Jing Ni, 2022. "The Paradoxical Effects of COVID-19 Event Strength on Employee Turnover Intention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-17, July.
    7. Xiaoyan Li & Nicole Maestas, 2008. "Does the Rise in the Full Retirement Age Encourage Disability Benefits Applications? Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study," Working Papers wp198, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    8. Christine Ipsen & Marc van Veldhoven & Kathrin Kirchner & John Paulin Hansen, 2021. "Six Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Working from Home in Europe during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-17, February.
    9. Padmaja Ayyagari, 2016. "Prescription drug coverage and chronic pain," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 189-200, June.
    10. Huynh, Kim P. & Jung, Juergen, 2015. "Subjective health expectations," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 693-711.
    11. Clara De Vincenzi & Martina Pansini & Bruna Ferrara & Ilaria Buonomo & Paula Benevene, 2022. "Consequences of COVID-19 on Employees in Remote Working: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities An Evidence-Based Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-18, September.
    12. Joon-ho Kim & Seung-hye Jung & Bong-ihn Seok & Hyun-ju Choi, 2022. "The Relationship among Four Lifestyles of Workers amid the COVID-19 Pandemic (Work–Life Balance, YOLO, Minimal Life, and Staycation) and Organizational Effectiveness: With a Focus on Four Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-31, October.
    13. Patricia Concheiro-Moscoso & Betania Groba & Francisco José Martínez-Martínez & María del Carmen Miranda-Duro & Laura Nieto-Riveiro & Thais Pousada & Cristina Queirós & Javier Pereira, 2021. "Study for the Design of a Protocol to Assess the Impact of Stress in the Quality of Life of Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-11, February.
    14. Linda Widar & Birgitta Wiitavaara & Eva Boman & Marina Heiden, 2021. "Psychophysiological Reactivity, Postures and Movements among Academic Staff: A Comparison between Teleworking Days and Office Days," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-16, September.
    15. Lauren Hersch Nicholas & Johanna Catherine Maclean, 2019. "The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on the Health and Labor Supply of Older Adults: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(2), pages 455-480, March.
    16. Steven J. Atlas & Jonathan Skinner, 2010. "Education and the Prevalence of Pain," NBER Chapters, in: Research Findings in the Economics of Aging, pages 145-166, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Högnäs, Robin S. & Bijlsma, Maarten J. & Högnäs, Ulf & Blomqvist, Sandra & Westerlund, Hugo & Hanson, Linda Magnusson, 2022. "It's giving me the blues: A fixed-effects and g-formula approach to understanding job insecurity, sleep disturbances, and major depression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    18. Umut Oguzoglu, 2016. "Disability and Multi-State Labour Force Choices with State Dependence," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 92(296), pages 28-46, March.
    19. Viola Angelini & Danilo CAVAPOZZI & Omar PACCAGNELLA, 2010. "Dynamics of work disability reporting in Europe," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0104, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    20. Fiona Niebuhr & Greta M. Steckhan & Susanne Voelter-Mahlknecht, 2022. "New Work Poses New Challenges—The Importance of Work Design Competencies Revealed in Cluster Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-12, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:10:p:6230-:d:820225. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.