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

Saila Kyrönlahti, Subas Neupane, Clas-Håkan Nygård, Jodi Oakman, Soile Juutinen and Anne Mäkikangas
Additional contact information
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

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-13

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.

Keywords: ergonomics; stress; musculoskeletal pain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/10/6230/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/10/6230/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:10:p:6230-:d:820225

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().