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Young A, Parikh S, Dedesko S, Bliss M, Xu J, Zanobetti A, Miller S, Allen J. Home indoor air quality and cognitive function over one year for people working remotely during COVID-19. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2024; 257:111551. [PMID: 38966206 PMCID: PMC11221786 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered an increase in remote work-from-home for office workers. Given that many homes now function as offices despite not being designed to support office work, it is critical to research the impact of indoor air quality (IAQ) in homes on the cognitive performance of people working from home. In this study, we followed 206 office workers across the U.S. over one year under remote or hybrid-remote settings during 2021-2022. Participants placed two real-time, consumer-grade indoor environmental monitors in their home workstation area and bedroom. Using a custom smartphone application geofenced to their residential address, participants responded to surveys and periodic cognitive function tests, including the Stroop color-word interference test, Arithmetic two-digit addition/subtraction test, and Compound Remote Associates Task (cRAT). Exposures assessed included carbon dioxide (CO2) and thermal conditions (indoor heat index: a combination of temperature and relative humidity) averaged over 30 minutes prior to each cognitive test. In fully adjusted longitudinal mixed models (n≤121), we found that indoor thermal conditions at home were associated with cognitive function outcomes non-linearly (p<0.05), with poorer cognitive performance on the Stroop test and poorer creative problem-solving on the cRAT when conditions were either too warm or too cool. Most indoor CO2 levels were <640 ppm, but there was still a slight association between higher CO2 and poorer cognitive performance on Stroop (p=0.09). Our findings highlight the need to enhance home indoor environmental quality for optimal cognitive function during remote work, with benefits for both employees and employers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Young
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shivani Parikh
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA
- Program of Population Health Sciences, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 1350 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sandra Dedesko
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA
- Program of Population Health Sciences, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 1350 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maya Bliss
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jiaxuan Xu
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonella Zanobetti
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shelly Miller
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 1111 Engineering Dr, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Joseph Allen
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA
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Doi T. The relationship between the living environment and remote working: an analysis using the SHEL model. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17301. [PMID: 38737744 PMCID: PMC11086296 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective This study investigates the relationship of living environment factors with satisfaction, work engagement, perceived productivity, and stress among teleworkers. Background Given the increase in telecommuting since the onset of the pandemic, the study aims to identify how to create an optimum environment for telecommuting workers. Methods By examining the relationships among these factors via multiple regression analysis, a comprehensive investigation of the telecommuting working environment is conducted, encompassing physical aspects and facilities as well as lifestyle rhythms and relationships with housemates. In doing so, the author identifies measures to create a more favorable living environment. The work environment of remote workers is examined from various perspectives using the framework of the SHEL model: Software (work content, lifestyle, etc.), Hardware (furniture, equipment, etc.), Environment (indoor environment), and Liveware (relationships with family members who reside with the worker). Results The results suggest that positive factors, such as satisfaction and work engagement, are strongly influenced by the degree of job autonomy and the availability of a workspace dedicated to personal use. Negative aspects, such as stress, are significantly impacted by environmental noise, interruptions due to household tasks, and the use of ergonomic furniture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihisa Doi
- Department of Living Environment Design, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
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Lu L, Liu G, Xu Y, Jiang J, Wei Z. A systematic review of studies on stress during the COVID-19 pandemic by visualizing their structure through COOC, VOS viewer, and Cite Space software. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1297112. [PMID: 38333890 PMCID: PMC10850234 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1297112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 epidemic generated different forms of stress. From this period, there has been a remarkable increase in the quantity of studies on stress conducted by scholars. However, few used bibliometric analyses to focus on overall trends in the field. Purpose This study sought to understand the current status and trends in stress development during COVID-19, as well as the main research drives and themes in this field. Methods 2719 publications from the Web of Science(WOS) core repository on stress during COVID-19 were analyzed by utilizing Co-Occurrence (COOC), VOS viewer, and Cite Space bibliometric software. The overall features of research on stress during COVID-19 were concluded by analyzing the quantity of publications, keywords, countries, and institutions. Results The results indicated that the United States had the largest number of publications and collaborated closely with other countries with each other. University of Toronto was the most prolific institution worldwide. Visualization and analysis demonstrated that the influence of stress during COVID-19 on the work, life, mental and spiritual dimensions is a hot research topic. Among other things, the frequency of each keyword in research on stress during COVID-19 increased from 2021 to 2022, and the researchers expanded their scope and study population; the range of subjects included children, nurses, and college students, as well as studies focusing on different types of stress, and emphasizing the handling of stress. Conclusion Our findings reveal that the heat of stress research during COVID-19 has declined, and the main research forces come from the United States and China. Additionally, subsequent research should concern more on coping methods with stress, while using more quantitative and qualitative studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyun Lu
- College of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guiping Liu
- College of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanhua Xu
- School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jinxiu Jiang
- College of Teacher Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zizi Wei
- School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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García-Salirrosas EE, Rondon-Eusebio RF, Geraldo-Campos LA, Acevedo-Duque Á. Job Satisfaction in Remote Work: The Role of Positive Spillover from Work to Family and Work-Life Balance. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:916. [PMID: 37998663 PMCID: PMC10669200 DOI: 10.3390/bs13110916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this research is to propose and validate a theoretical model that explains job satisfaction in remote work influenced by family-supportive supervisory behaviors (FSSBs) and, in addition, to evaluate the mediating role of work-to-family positive spillover (WFPS) and work-life balance (WLB) in this influence. A non-experimental cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered survey to a sample of 396 teleworkers in Lima, Peru. The hypothesized model was analyzed using PLS-SEM based structural equation modeling. The results show that FSSB has a direct effect on both job satisfaction in remote work and WFPS and WLB. In addition, it shows that WFPS and WLB have positive effects on job satisfaction in remote work. Also, the results show that WFPS and WLB have a mediating role in the influence of FSSB on job satisfaction in remote work. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of supervisor behavior, positive work-to-family spillover, and work-life balance in remote workers' job satisfaction. It is suggested that companies adopt policies and practices that encourage work-life balance as well as a favorable supervisory environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ángel Acevedo-Duque
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Autonóma de Chile, Santiago 7500912, Chile;
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