"Researchers Urge Public Health Push for Healthier Telecommuting"

 Researchers say public health efforts are needed to promote healthy telecommuting 

Telecommuters' perceptions of their workload and their ability to switch off after work are among a list of factors associated with health and wellbeing-related behaviours. 

A new study from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London has found that telecommuters' perceptions of their workload and their ability to switch off after work are among a list of factors associated with health and wellbeing-related behaviours. 

According to a study published in the journal Behavioral Sciences, telecommuting can have clear positive effects if organisational policies are  in place to support practices that are beneficial for employee health and wellbeing. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have led to a surge in telecommuting among employees who would normally work in an office. While extensive research has been conducted to promote the health and wellbeing of office workers,  the potential impact of telecommuting on health has been largely ignored in public health efforts. The researchers in this study sought to identify the acute psychological effects of telecommuting on health- and wellbeing-related behaviours and to better understand how these responses interact. 

A total of 491 participants were surveyed about a range of psychological responses to telecommuting practices and health-related behaviours. This included measures such as how experienced telecommuters were able to rearrange their workspace, the amount of time they spent sitting during the workday, and how well they slept. The analysis revealed that psychological responses to telecommuting could be categorized into four distinct clusters: 

• Independence when telecommuting 
• Switching to telecommuting 
• Daily work pressures 
• Predictions for the workday 

Dr. Samuel Keightley, lead author of the  King's IoPPN study, said: "This study shows that telecommuting shows similar but unique patterns, highlighting different responses to telecommuting practices that impact telecommuters' ' wellbeing and prosperity." These discoveries feature the requirement for a more profound comprehension and transformation of working from home practices to help solid ways of behaving and by and large prosperity. " 

The researchers created a complex picture of related behaviors: workers' perceptions of their workload, their inability to  switch off at night, and their lack of autonomy  had cascading effects on health behaviors such as sedentary behavior and physical activity, as well as aspects of work-related well-being such as stress and burnout.  In contrast, participants who reported being able to plan their workday felt happier and more comfortable. They also experienced less work-related  sedentary behavior. 

Dr. Myanna Duncan,  Associate Professor of Industrial Psychology at King's IoPPN and lead author of the study, said: "This study does not conclude that working from home  is inherently good or bad. Working from home may have a negative impact on certain health behaviors and may lead to increased stress and burnout in the long term. 

"Likewise, members who felt they had more independence during their work hours were more joyful and would be wise to wellbeing.

"If working from home continues, it is important that public health efforts take into account the subtle stressors it may bring to ensure its benefits are maximized."