The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person work
Introduction: The COVID-19 emergency and the subsequent restrictive measures forced an internal reorganization of social services, including a remote working model. These changes forced Social Service Workers (SSW) to change their work using new technologies, which might have affected their job sati...
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| Format: | Article |
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Edizioni FS
2024-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Health and Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://journalhss.com/wp-content/uploads/JHSS_2024_399_415.pdf |
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| author | Venusia COVELLI Morena TAFFARELLO Marina Angela VISCO Francesco CHIRICO Pietro CRESCENZO Luca COPPETA Kavita BATRA Alessandra MARELLI |
| author_facet | Venusia COVELLI Morena TAFFARELLO Marina Angela VISCO Francesco CHIRICO Pietro CRESCENZO Luca COPPETA Kavita BATRA Alessandra MARELLI |
| author_sort | Venusia COVELLI |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: The COVID-19 emergency and the subsequent restrictive measures forced an internal reorganization of social services, including a remote working model. These changes forced Social Service Workers (SSW) to change their work using new technologies, which might have affected their job satisfaction and general well-being. Therefore, the current research aims to compare the remote working situation during the pandemic with the return to in-person work to evaluate how these two models affected the SSW’s job satisfaction and well-being.
Methods: SSW working in social service delivery organizations were recruited to participate in an online semi-structured survey comprising the Job Satisfaction Scale, Psychological General Well-Being Index-S, Work-Related Stress Indicator Tool, Organizational Identification Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The survey tool had several open-ended questions to examine participants’ views about the existing interventions in their workplace and what could be improved and implemented on a permanent basis to enhance their well-being at work.
Results: A total of 119 social workers accepted to complete the survey. 77 experienced both in-person and remote working. Comparing working in-person with remote working, the quality of life and satisfaction with one’s health do not change. Whereas the perception of the risk of contracting COVID-19 increases when working in-person (M=3.88) than in remote working (M=1.96; p<.05), and the levels of anxiety increase in remote conditions (M=4.51) if compared to in-person working (M=4.06; p<.05). Job satisfaction about the relationship with the superior is better when working in-person than in remote working (M=4.87 vs 4.61; p<.05) and job satisfaction about the relations between the service and the workers is better when working in-person than in remote working (M=4.87 vs M=4.61; p<.05). Significant differences emerge also from the “in-person vs. remote working” comparison regarding all the dimensions of work-related stress. Discussion: Results lead to useful reflections regarding the management of relations with users and colleagues, the psycho-physical well-being of operators, and, more generally, the quality of the services provided about the mode of service delivery and whether they work in-person vs. remote working. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-729cf65cbd2d4be4ab8c21efe5abeeeb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2499-2240 2499-5886 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-09-01 |
| publisher | Edizioni FS |
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| series | Journal of Health and Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-729cf65cbd2d4be4ab8c21efe5abeeeb2025-01-31T10:15:35ZengEdizioni FSJournal of Health and Social Sciences2499-22402499-58862024-09-0193399415The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person workVenusia COVELLI0 Morena TAFFARELLO1Marina Angela VISCO2Francesco CHIRICO3Pietro CRESCENZO4Luca COPPETA5Kavita BATRA6Alessandra MARELLI7Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Italy. E-mail: venusia.covelli@uniecampus.it Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Italy. E-mail: morenataffarello78@gmail.comDepartment of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Italy. E-mail: marina.visco@uniecampus.itPost-Graduate School of Occupational Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. E-mail: francesco.chirico@unicatt.itDepartment of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Italy. E-mail: pietro.crescenzo@uniecampus.it Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. E-mail luca.coppeta@uniroma2.itDepartment of Medical Education and Office of Research, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. Office of Research, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. E-mail: kavita.batra@unlv.eduDepartment of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Italy. E-mail: alessandra.marelli@uniecampus.itIntroduction: The COVID-19 emergency and the subsequent restrictive measures forced an internal reorganization of social services, including a remote working model. These changes forced Social Service Workers (SSW) to change their work using new technologies, which might have affected their job satisfaction and general well-being. Therefore, the current research aims to compare the remote working situation during the pandemic with the return to in-person work to evaluate how these two models affected the SSW’s job satisfaction and well-being. Methods: SSW working in social service delivery organizations were recruited to participate in an online semi-structured survey comprising the Job Satisfaction Scale, Psychological General Well-Being Index-S, Work-Related Stress Indicator Tool, Organizational Identification Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The survey tool had several open-ended questions to examine participants’ views about the existing interventions in their workplace and what could be improved and implemented on a permanent basis to enhance their well-being at work. Results: A total of 119 social workers accepted to complete the survey. 77 experienced both in-person and remote working. Comparing working in-person with remote working, the quality of life and satisfaction with one’s health do not change. Whereas the perception of the risk of contracting COVID-19 increases when working in-person (M=3.88) than in remote working (M=1.96; p<.05), and the levels of anxiety increase in remote conditions (M=4.51) if compared to in-person working (M=4.06; p<.05). Job satisfaction about the relationship with the superior is better when working in-person than in remote working (M=4.87 vs 4.61; p<.05) and job satisfaction about the relations between the service and the workers is better when working in-person than in remote working (M=4.87 vs M=4.61; p<.05). Significant differences emerge also from the “in-person vs. remote working” comparison regarding all the dimensions of work-related stress. Discussion: Results lead to useful reflections regarding the management of relations with users and colleagues, the psycho-physical well-being of operators, and, more generally, the quality of the services provided about the mode of service delivery and whether they work in-person vs. remote working.https://journalhss.com/wp-content/uploads/JHSS_2024_399_415.pdfcovid-19 pandemicjob satisfactionpsychological well-beingremote worksocial service workerswork-related stress |
| spellingShingle | Venusia COVELLI Morena TAFFARELLO Marina Angela VISCO Francesco CHIRICO Pietro CRESCENZO Luca COPPETA Kavita BATRA Alessandra MARELLI The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person work Journal of Health and Social Sciences covid-19 pandemic job satisfaction psychological well-being remote work social service workers work-related stress |
| title | The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person work |
| title_full | The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person work |
| title_fullStr | The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person work |
| title_full_unstemmed | The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person work |
| title_short | The work-related well-being of social service workers post COVID-19 pandemic: The psychosocial impact of remote vs in-person work |
| title_sort | work related well being of social service workers post covid 19 pandemic the psychosocial impact of remote vs in person work |
| topic | covid-19 pandemic job satisfaction psychological well-being remote work social service workers work-related stress |
| url | https://journalhss.com/wp-content/uploads/JHSS_2024_399_415.pdf |
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