Barriers and facilitators of productivity while working from home during pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to characterize the working environment, stress levels, and psychological detachment of employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines and investigate their relationship to productivity and musculoskeletal symptoms.

Methods: Structural equation modeling was used to examine the direct effect of workstation characteristics, stress, and musculoskeletal symptoms to productivity and the indirect effect of psychological detachment to productivity. Data were gathered from a survey of employees working from home during the pandemic from different industries (n = 352). Multigroup analysis was also conducted to determine the effect of age, having a spouse, and having children less than 18 years old, to the model.

Results: Ergonomic suitability of the workstation (WES) has a significant effect on musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) (β = −0.31, SE = 0.06; p < .001). Both workstation suitability (β = −0.24, SE = 0.03; p < .001) and workstation ergonomic suitability (β = −0.18, SE = 0.01; p < .01) inversely affect STR. Psychological detachment has a significant inverse effect on stress (β = −0.31, SE = 0.07; p < .001) and stress has a significant negative effect on productivity (β = −0.13, SE = 0.09; p = .03). Multigroup analyses showed that stress significantly affected the productivity of those without spouses and young employees.

Conclusion: Workstation suitability helps improve the productivity of people working from home while stress negatively affects it. Workstation ergonomic suitability and musculoskeletal symptoms have no significant effect.