Perceived privacy in home office and musculoskeletal complaints: a test of family–work conflict, work–family conflict, and relaxation as mediators

Abstract

Many employees have had to telework all year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though working from home has many advantages, there are also some disadvantages worth to consider. Lack of privacy is a relevant factor when it comes to the development of severe musculoskelatal issues. This study investigated the link between perceived privacy in home office and musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs). Family–work conflict (FWC), work–family conflict (WFC), and relaxation were tested as potential mediators for the relationship between perceived privacy and MSCs. The present study’s questionnaire was filled out by 287 teleworking employees. Hypotheses were tested via multiple mediation analyses examining levels of perceived privacy in home office, and its relationship on MSCs. Furthermore, the underlying effect of FWC, WFC, and MSCs were tested with a structural equation model. As assumed, lack of privacy while working at home was linked to individuals more frequently experiencing MSCs. However, the structural equation model showed no significant mediation effect. Work design efforts must address privacy while employees perform telework at home to prevent MSCs.

Work fatigue during COVID-19 lockdown teleworking: the role of psychosocial, environmental, and social working conditions

“…This lockdown-specific result is unsurprising given the body of evidence regarding the health effects of unsuccessful spatial regulation of social interaction (e.g., work on crowding and privacy; see Evans and Cohen, 1987 ; Gatersleben and Griffin, 2017 ). Therefore, our study supports previous hints at privacy fit-exhaustion associations that used elements of the privacy concept (distractions or interruptions; Leroy et al, 2021 ) and complements emerging pandemic evidence of privacy’s role in mental and physical health issues (e.g., sleeping problems and MSK pain, Wütschert et al, 2021 , 2022 ). Furthermore, this result adds to the substantive body of evidence on the link between stress/fatigue/exhaustion, anthropomorphic noise and interruptions ( Evans and Johnson, 2000 ; Jahncke et al, 2011 ; Kerr et al, 2020 ) from prior to the pandemic.…”

“…Some experienced privacy-related advantages, such as less distractions/interruptions, that were related to increases in concentration and productivity (Ipsen et al, 2020(Ipsen et al, , 2021Pfnür et al, 2021). Others reported problems with privacy, distraction, or interruptions since pandemic teleworking (Ipsen et al, 2020;Bergefurt et al, 2021;Ipsen et al, 2021;Leroy et al, 2021;Xiao et al, 2021;Bergefurt et al, 2022;Wütschert et al, 2022;Park et al, 2023). Considering the acknowledged impact of privacy fit on occupational health, likely predictors of privacy fit ought to be explored.…”

“…Few studies have considered the relative effects of privacy fit on health and wellbeing. Those that do have concentrated on reduction of sleeping problems (explained through cognitive irritation, Wütschert et al, 2022 ) and musculoskeletal complaints ( Wütschert et al, 2022 ) when privacy was given. Studies that focused on occupational health have only observed aspects that were related to poor privacy fit (different types of interruptions, cf.…”

Telework-related risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders

“…Lack of a dedicated place for work ( 11 , 22 , 24 , 25 ) as well as experiencing frequent interruptions ( 19 ) by surrounding household noise or other household members ( 21 , 26 ) are important psychosocial factors associated with MSDs in teleworkers. Frequent distractions and low perceived privacy ( 27 ) observed in teleworkers cause psychological distress and affect musculoskeletal health. Research suggests that women, in particular, may experience increased psychosocial demands due to multiple household roles and may be at an increased risk of negative mental and physical health outcomes while teleworking ( 36 ).…”

“…However, long working hours and high job demand frequently imposed on teleworkers may have the complete opposite effect on work-family balance. “In exchange” for greater flexibility in scheduling working hours, employers may raise expectations regarding employees’ workload and availability ( 42 , 43 ) blurring the boundaries between work time and family time resulting in work–family conflict ( 27 ). Studies have shown that setting spatial and temporal boundaries between work time and family time activities as much as possible may be beneficial for work-family balance and teleworkers’ mental health in general ( 44 ).…”