gms | German Medical Science

21. Deutscher Kongress für Versorgungsforschung

Deutsches Netzwerk Versorgungsforschung e. V.

05.10. - 07.10.2022, Potsdam

Attitudes and acceptance of adjusted working conditions across workplace settings during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany – a longitudinal analysis

Meeting Abstract

  • Jana Söder - Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Institut für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Anna Ehmann - Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Institut für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Anke Wagner - Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Institut für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Christine Preiser - Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Institut für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Benjamin Rebholz - Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Institut für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Monika Rieger - Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Institut für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Esther Rind - Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Institut für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Tübingen, Deutschland

21. Deutscher Kongress für Versorgungsforschung (DKVF). Potsdam, 05.-07.10.2022. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2022. Doc22dkvf215

doi: 10.3205/22dkvf215, urn:nbn:de:0183-22dkvf2154

Published: September 30, 2022

© 2022 Söder et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. See license information at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


Outline

Text

Background and status of international research: Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, comprehensive occupational safety and health (OSH) measures were implemented to reduce the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace. Hence, working conditions were adapted and employees experienced new challenges such as virtual teamwork and on-site hygiene practices. Previous studies have shown that this shift from previously established workplace settings to more complex work organization affects the employees’ psychosocial demands [1]. Until now, little is known about changes in the employees’ attitudes towards changed working conditions over the course of the current pandemic.

Research question and objective: Within a longitudinal study, we evaluate the employees’ attitudes towards occupational infection control measures and their acceptance of adjusted working conditions.

Method or hypothesis: A standardized online employee survey was conducted at six company sites of a leading global supplier of technology and services in Germany in summer and autumn 2020 (T0), January 2021 (T1), and autumn 2021 (T2). Amongst other outcomes, we investigate pandemic-related alterations in the employees’ perceived risk of infection and their reactance towards introduced OSH measures in the workplace over time.

Results: We included 620 employees aged 48 ± 11 years in a preliminary analysis of data gathered at T0 and T1 (64%, n=397 male; 36%, n=223 female). Results indicate that office worker (n=486, 78%) reported a decreased perceived likelihood of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace from T0 (mean = 3.1 on a 7-point Likert scale: extremely unlikely – extremely likely) to T1 (mean = 2.8). In comparison, assembly line worker (n=70, 11%) reported an increase (mean = 3.7 to 4.1). Further, office worker showed an increased level of reactance towards introduced OSH measures from T0 (mean = 2.4 on a 7-point scale: not at all – very much) to T1 (mean = 2.9), as did assembly line worker (T0: mean = 3.1, T1: mean = 3.6).

Discussion: We currently expand the ongoing multivariate analysis with data of T2. The focus is further on examining within-person changes in attitudes towards pandemic-related OSH measures across different workplace settings as well as on identifying protective factors for coping with challenges regarding the work organization. When interpreting results, we consider the dynamic epidemiological context of this pandemic, including prevailing laws.

Practical implications: Understanding how employees of different workplace settings react to and are differentially affected by work-related changes in the long run of this pandemic, facilitates the effort of companies to sustain acceptance of pandemic-related OSH measures and to seize opportunities of changed working conditions.

Appeal for practice: Rapid transfer of study results from science to practice contributes to developing timely and target group-specific adaptations of OSH measures throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding: Sonstige Förderung; MWK Baden-Württemberg; D.26.01702


References

1.
Rudolph C, Allan B, Clark M, Hertel G, Hirschi A, Kunze F, Shockley K, Shoss M, Sonnentag S, Zacher H. Pandemics: Implications for research and practice in industrial and organizational psychology. Ind Organ Psychol. 2021;14(1-2):1-35. DOI:10.1017/iop.2020.48 External link