Social and Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 Online Content at a Lockdown Phase—Europe and Asia Comparison

Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on the Hungarian Employees

The economic crisis in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic is affecting the lives, jobs and incomes of a lot of people. Certain sectors of the economy have come to a standstill or stalled for a time, causing many to lose their jobs and be forced to pursue other career options than originally planned. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a deep economic crisis that caused workers to feel insecure, which also had a negative impact on the lives and characteristics of individuals at work. In the course of our research, we conducted a survey of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises in Hungary in order to find out how the coronavirus crisis affected them. In Hungary, the sectors most affected by the epidemic (e.g., hospitality, tourism, automotive) had an intense impact, as the consequences of restrictions on mobility and social distance emerged in the very early stages of the crisis. The survey was conducted in July 2021 after the end of the second wave of the epidemic, with a total of 613 participants. Our results confirmed that the coronavirus crisis had a significant impact on the respondents’ feelings of job insecurity and financial situation. There is a significant connection between the downsizing of Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises and the feeling of job insecurity among employees. There was also a significant link between the organizational measures taken against the crisis and the financial situation of the employees. Thus, based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the coronavirus crisis has had a negative impact on the lives of individuals through the workplaces.

Learning in Troubled Times: Parents’ Perspectives on Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered profound social consequences, affecting all aspects of human activity, including education. The process of remote teaching that was implemented in response to this crisis is known as emergency remote teaching and learning (ERTL). The present study focuses on Portuguese parents’ perspectives about this process. Data were gathered through an online questionnaire, answered by 203 parents of preschool, basic, and secondary education students (ages 3–18), focusing on self-perceived digital competence, satisfaction with ERTL, and pedagogical activities developed with their children. Parents were moderately satisfied with ERTL but expressed a marked increase in their workload, particularly those working from home. Parents of children in the second cycle of basic education (ages 10–12) were less satisfied with the process. A variety of activities was promoted, responding to different educational levels’ characteristics. Results show the importance of promoting parents’ digital competence and directing support policies, particularly to parents of younger children (ages 3–12), and raise concerns about equity.