Associations Between Telework Experience and Psychosocial Working Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Analysis Among White-Collar Workers in Sweden.

WORK environment & psychology; COMPUTERS; EMPLOYEE attitudes; SOCIAL support; WORK; JOB stress; WHITE collar workers; EMPLOYEE promotions; CROSS-sectional method; AGE distribution; JOB descriptions; EMPLOYEES; COMPARATIVE studies; SEX distribution; EXPERIENTIAL learning; PSYCHOSOCIAL factors; QUESTIONNAIRES; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; JOB satisfaction; RESEARCH funding; TELECOMMUTING; SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors; COVID-19 pandemic; INDUSTRIAL relations

Telework is becoming increasingly prevalent. Since exposures in the psychosocial work environment is associated with higher risks for cardiovascular disease (66), all-cause coronary heart disease (67), burnout (68), depressive symptoms (69) and chronic low back pain (70), the results presented here helps clinical practicians to assess health risks among teleworkers. Objectives: The aim of the study are to determine to what extent pre–COVID-19 experience of telework was associated with perceived psychosocial working conditions (PWCs; job demands, social support, and influence at work) during the COVID-19 pandemic among white-collar workers in Sweden and to determine to what extent the association depends on demographic factors, organizational tenure, and amount of computer use. Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire data from 603 white-collar workers were collected October to December 2020 in an industrial company. Results: In general, telework experience was not significantly associated with PWCs. Women who began teleworking because of COVID-19 reported more job demands than women not teleworking. For those who began teleworking because of COVID-19, managerial support increased with age. Conclusions: In general, telework experience was not associated with PWCs, but telework due to COVID-19 may have influenced PWCs differently depending on gender and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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