Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic prompted significant shifts to teleworking, raising questions about potential impacts on employee wellbeing. This study examined the association between self-reported changes to teleworking frequency (relative to before the pandemic) and two indicators of oc...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21142-z |
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| author | Anshu Uppal Nick Pullen Hélène Baysson Stephanie Schrempft Aminata Rosalie Bouhet María-Eugenia Zaballa Julien Lamour Mayssam Nehme Idris Guessous Silvia Stringhini Elsa Lorthe Specchio-COVID19 study group |
| author_facet | Anshu Uppal Nick Pullen Hélène Baysson Stephanie Schrempft Aminata Rosalie Bouhet María-Eugenia Zaballa Julien Lamour Mayssam Nehme Idris Guessous Silvia Stringhini Elsa Lorthe Specchio-COVID19 study group |
| author_sort | Anshu Uppal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic prompted significant shifts to teleworking, raising questions about potential impacts on employee wellbeing. This study examined the association between self-reported changes to teleworking frequency (relative to before the pandemic) and two indicators of occupational burnout: emotional exhaustion and professionally diagnosed burnout. Methods Data were derived from two samples from a digital cohort study based in Geneva, Switzerland: one population-based, and one from a sample of workers who were likely mobilized in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emotional exhaustion was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (EE-MBI), while self-reported diagnosed burnout was assessed by asking participants if they had received a professional diagnosis of occupational burnout within the previous 12 months. Participants were categorized based on self-reported telework frequency changes: “no change,” “increase,” “decrease,” “never telework,” and “not possible to telework.” Adjusted regression models for each of the study samples were used to estimate associations between telework changes and burnout outcomes, accounting for sociodemographic, household, and work-related factors. Results In the population-based sample of salaried employees (n = 1,332), the median EE-MBI score was 14 (interquartile range: 6–24), and 7.3% reported diagnosed burnout. Compared to those reporting no change in telework frequency (19% of the sample), those reporting a decrease (4%) and those reporting that teleworking was not possible (28.7%) had significantly higher emotional exhaustion scores (adjusted beta (aβ) 5.26 [95% confidence interval: 1.47, 9.04] and aβ 3.51 [0.44, 6.59], respectively) and additionally reported higher odds of diagnosed burnout (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 10.59 [3.24, 34.57] and aOR 3.42 [1.22, 9.65], respectively). “Increased” (28.9%) and “never” (19.4%) telework statuses were not significantly associated with burnout outcomes. These trends were mirrored in the “mobilized-workers” sample, with the exception that those reporting that teleworking was not possible did not report significantly higher odds of diagnosed burnout compared to those reporting no change in telework frequency. Conclusions Decreased teleworking frequency and not having the possibility of telework were associated with higher emotional exhaustion and diagnosed burnout. As organizations reconsider their telework policies in a post-pandemic era, they should consider the impact of such organizational changes on employee wellbeing. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1e07b51064c34e1495efcbb12433493e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| spelling | doaj-art-1e07b51064c34e1495efcbb12433493e2025-01-26T12:56:39ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-01-0125111910.1186/s12889-024-21142-zCovid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort studyAnshu Uppal0Nick Pullen1Hélène Baysson2Stephanie Schrempft3Aminata Rosalie Bouhet4María-Eugenia Zaballa5Julien Lamour6Mayssam Nehme7Idris Guessous8Silvia Stringhini9Elsa Lorthe10Specchio-COVID19 study groupUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsDivision of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University HospitalsAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic prompted significant shifts to teleworking, raising questions about potential impacts on employee wellbeing. This study examined the association between self-reported changes to teleworking frequency (relative to before the pandemic) and two indicators of occupational burnout: emotional exhaustion and professionally diagnosed burnout. Methods Data were derived from two samples from a digital cohort study based in Geneva, Switzerland: one population-based, and one from a sample of workers who were likely mobilized in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emotional exhaustion was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (EE-MBI), while self-reported diagnosed burnout was assessed by asking participants if they had received a professional diagnosis of occupational burnout within the previous 12 months. Participants were categorized based on self-reported telework frequency changes: “no change,” “increase,” “decrease,” “never telework,” and “not possible to telework.” Adjusted regression models for each of the study samples were used to estimate associations between telework changes and burnout outcomes, accounting for sociodemographic, household, and work-related factors. Results In the population-based sample of salaried employees (n = 1,332), the median EE-MBI score was 14 (interquartile range: 6–24), and 7.3% reported diagnosed burnout. Compared to those reporting no change in telework frequency (19% of the sample), those reporting a decrease (4%) and those reporting that teleworking was not possible (28.7%) had significantly higher emotional exhaustion scores (adjusted beta (aβ) 5.26 [95% confidence interval: 1.47, 9.04] and aβ 3.51 [0.44, 6.59], respectively) and additionally reported higher odds of diagnosed burnout (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 10.59 [3.24, 34.57] and aOR 3.42 [1.22, 9.65], respectively). “Increased” (28.9%) and “never” (19.4%) telework statuses were not significantly associated with burnout outcomes. These trends were mirrored in the “mobilized-workers” sample, with the exception that those reporting that teleworking was not possible did not report significantly higher odds of diagnosed burnout compared to those reporting no change in telework frequency. Conclusions Decreased teleworking frequency and not having the possibility of telework were associated with higher emotional exhaustion and diagnosed burnout. As organizations reconsider their telework policies in a post-pandemic era, they should consider the impact of such organizational changes on employee wellbeing.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21142-zDiagnosed burnoutOrganizational changeRemote workEmotional exhaustionWork from home |
| spellingShingle | Anshu Uppal Nick Pullen Hélène Baysson Stephanie Schrempft Aminata Rosalie Bouhet María-Eugenia Zaballa Julien Lamour Mayssam Nehme Idris Guessous Silvia Stringhini Elsa Lorthe Specchio-COVID19 study group Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study BMC Public Health Diagnosed burnout Organizational change Remote work Emotional exhaustion Work from home |
| title | Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study |
| title_full | Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study |
| title_short | Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study |
| title_sort | covid 19 pandemic related changes in teleworking emotional exhaustion and occupational burnout a cross sectional analysis of a cohort study |
| topic | Diagnosed burnout Organizational change Remote work Emotional exhaustion Work from home |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21142-z |
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