Beware of side effects on quality! Investigating the implications of home working on work-life balance in educational services

Palumbo, Rocco; Manna, Rosalba; Cavallone, Mauro

doi:10.1108/tqm-05-2020-0120

Cited by 55 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…More control and choice in work is expected to improve wellbeing (Joyce et al 2010 ), and working from home has been linked to higher job satisfaction (Troup and Rose 2012 ). Finally, Eurofound concluded that telework has mainly positive effects on individual performance (Eurofound 2017 ), although working from home entails problems too, such as unclear boundaries between work and private life (Palumbo 2020 ; Palumbo et al 2020 ; Vittersø et al 2003 ) and lack of interpersonal relationship of colleagues (Webster and Wong 2008 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Working from home, quality of life, and perceived productivity during the first 50-day COVID-19 mitigation measures in Austria: a cross-sectional study

Weitzer

Papantoniou

Seidel

et al. 2021

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Objectives To explore changes in quality of life and perceived productivity, focusing on the effects of working from home during the first COVID-19 50-day mitigation period in Austria. Methods We conducted an Austrian-representative online survey (N = 1010) of self-reported life- and work-related changes during the first COVID-19 50-day mitigation period (March 16 through May 1 2020) compared to the situation before. We used multinominal logistic regression models to identify correlates of improved/decreased quality of life in the entire sample, and of improved/decreased productivity in a subsample of the working population (N = 686). We also calculated age- and multivariable-adjusted ORs and 95% CIs of an improved/decreased quality of life and an improved/decreased productivity by work from home status. Results During the COVID-19 mitigation period, quality of life improved in 17.5%, but decreased in 20.7% of the general Austrian population; perceived productivity at work increased in 12.7%, but decreased in 30.2% of the working population. Working from home during the mitigation period was associated with an increased quality of life (vs. none, partially: OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.09–3.91; all the time: 3.69, 1.86–7.29). In contrast, perceived productivity seemed to decrease when people worked from home (vs. none, partially: 1.42, 0.86–2.35; all the time: 1.48, 0.85–2.58). Working from home and related benefits were not equally distributed among gender, age, and educational attainment. Conclusions A transition to more flexibility of workplace and working hours for employees could have important positive consequences for family and professional life, for stakeholders, for public health, and ultimately for the environment.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Working from home, quality of life, and perceived productivity during the first 50-day COVID-19 mitigation measures in Austria: a cross-sectional study

Weitzer

Papantoniou

Seidel

et al. 2021

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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show abstract

“…In spite of these considerations, as forecasted by hypothesis 2, teleworking from home had positive implications in terms of remote workers' work engagement. People who worked at home showed greater levels of work-related absorption, dedication and vigor (Palumbo et al , 2020). The increased work engagement of teleworkers is boosted by the perception of organizational support that is generally associated with the flexibilization of working arrangements (Jin and McDonald, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Let me go to the office! An investigation into the side effects of working from home on work-life balance

Palumbo

2020

IJPSM

Self Cite

292

204

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PurposeThe disruptions brought by COVID-19 pandemic compelled a large part of public sector employees to remotely work from home. Home-based teleworking ensured the continuity of the provision of public services, reducing disruptions brought by the pandemic. However, little is known about the implications of telecommuting from home on the ability of remote employees to manage the work-life interplay. The article adopts a retrospective approach, investigating data provided by the sixth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) to shed lights into this timely topic.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical, quantitative research design was crafted. On the one hand, the direct effects of telecommuting from home on work-life balance were investigated. On the other hand, work engagement and perceived work-related fatigue were included in the empirical analysis as mediating variables which intervene in the relationship between telecommuting from home and work-life balance.FindingsHome-based telecommuting negatively affected the work-life balance of public servants. Employees who remotely worked from home suffered from increased work-to-life and life-to-work conflicts. Telecommuting from home triggered greater work-related fatigue, which worsened the perceived work-life balance. Work engagement positively mediated the negative effects of working from home on work-life balance.Practical implicationsTelecommuting from home has side effects on the ability of remote workers to handle the interplay between work-related commitments and daily life activities. This comes from the overlapping between private life and work, which leads to greater contamination of personal concerns and work duties. Work engagement lessens the perceptions of work-life unbalance. The increased work-related fatigue triggered by remote working may produce a physical and emotional exhaustion of home-based teleworkers.Originality/valueThe article investigates the side effects of remotely working from home on work-life balance, stressing the mediating role of work engagement and work-related fatigue.

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“…Even though the digital transformation of educational institutions may pave the way for new learning models which are more consistent with the evolving expectations of students and institutional stakeholders (Liu et al, 2020), its repercussions on the quality and safety of the working environment should be carefully assessed and addressed (Palumbo et al, 2020). Because occupational health and healthy workplace initiatives may be not sufficient in counteracting the increased psycho-social risks generated by digitization, some organizational interventions are required to avoid the drawbacks of the educational institutions' digital transformation (Dobrovsk a and Andres, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Literature has reviewed both the advantages and the challenges which are triggered by the digital transition of educational institutions, envisioning digitization as a way to achieve people-centeredness in the provision of learning experiences (Gonzales, 2019). Among the challenges which are heralded by digitization, particular relevance is attached to its implications on the workplace climate (Palumbo et al, 2020). The increased pervasiveness of ICTs and digital tools may exacerbate time pressures perceived by educators in accomplishing their organizational tasks, leading to a greater work-related stress (Pareto and Willermark, 2014).…”

Section: Conceptual Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Curbing the drawbacks of digitization on psycho-social risks at work in educational institutions. Preliminary evidence from Europe

Palumbo

2021

QAE

Self Cite

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Purpose Digitization is reshaping the functioning of educational institutions. Large attention has been paid to the innovative service models enabled by digitization. However, the implications of digitization on employees’ well-being need further investigation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of digitization on psycho-social risks at work in a large sample of European educational institutions. Design/methodology/approach Secondary data were collected from the third wave of the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER). A serial mediation model was designed to obtain evidence on the implications of digitization on the psycho-social risks at work in 3,540 educational institutions. Alongside the direct implications of digitization on psycho-social risks, its indirect effects mediated by occupational health interventions and healthy workplace initiatives were investigated. Findings Digitization exacerbated psycho-social stressors at work. Increasing time pressures and intensifying work, digitization imperiled the employees’ well-being. Occupational health partially mediated the implications of digitization on psycho-social risks. Although healthy workplace interventions seemed to prevent the side effects of digitization on psycho-social risk, its mediating role was not statistically significant. Practical implications Digitization should be accompanied by interventions aimed at ensuring occupational health and at promoting a healthy workplace to minimize its drawbacks on psycho-social risks. Occupational health creates a greater awareness of the negative effects of digitization on work-related stressors. Healthy workplace initiatives contribute to enhancing the employees’ psycho-physical well-being. Originality/value This study reports the negative implications of digitization on psycho-social risks at work in educational institutions, envisioning some avenues for further development.

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Beware of side effects on quality! Investigating the implications of home working on work-life balance in educational services

Cited by 55 publications

References 58 publications

Working from home, quality of life, and perceived productivity during the first 50-day COVID-19 mitigation measures in Austria: a cross-sectional study

Working from home, quality of life, and perceived productivity during the first 50-day COVID-19 mitigation measures in Austria: a cross-sectional study

Let me go to the office! An investigation into the side effects of working from home on work-life balance

Curbing the drawbacks of digitization on psycho-social risks at work in educational institutions. Preliminary evidence from Europe

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