Post-Pandemic Office Work: Perceived Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Work Environment

Physical work environment in an activity-based flex office: a longitudinal case study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate and explore Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management, office ergonomics, and musculoskeletal symptoms in a group of office workers relocating from cell offices to activity-based flex offices (AFOs).

METHODS

The analysis was based on qualitative interview data with 77 employees and longitudinal questionnaire data from 152 employees.

RESULTS

Results indicate that there was a need to clarify roles and processes related to the management of OHS. Self-rated sit comfort, working posture, and availability of daylight deteriorated and symptoms in neck and shoulders increased after the relocation and seemed to be influenced by many factors, such as difficulties adjusting the workstations, the availability of suitable workplaces, and age, sex, and individual needs.

CONCLUSION

Research on the long-term effects of physical work environments and management of (OHS) issues after implementing activity-based flex offices is sparse. This study demonstrates the importance of planning and organising OHS issue management when implementing an AFO, and to carefully implement office ergonomics among office workers.

Telework and 24-hour movement behaviours among adults living in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between work location and movement behaviours (physical activity [PA], screen time, sleep) and adherence to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (24-H Guidelines) among Canadian workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Using cross-sectional data from the 2021 Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 10,913 working adults 18-75 years), primary work location was categorized as: worked outside the home at a fixed location (fixed workplace), worked at home (telework), and worked outside the home at no fixed location (non-fixed workplace). Recreational, transportation and occupational/household PA, as well as leisure screen time and sleep duration were self-reported. Logistic regression assessed associations between work location and adherence to movement behaviour recommendations, adjusting for covariates.

RESULTS

Compared to a fixed workplace, those teleworking reported more recreational PA (21.1 vs 17.0 min/day, p < 0.0001) and sleep (7.2 vs 7.1 h/night, p = 0.026) and were more likely to meet sleep duration recommendations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08-1.51) and the 24-H Guidelines (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04-1.51). Compared to fixed workplaces, those at non-fixed workplaces reported more occupational PA (62.7 vs 32.8 min/day, p < 0.0001) and less leisure screen time (2.5 vs 2.7 h/day, p = 0.021), and were more likely to meet the PA recommendation (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.15-1.85) and the 24-H Guidelines (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.09-1.75).

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that adherence to the 24-H Guidelines varies by work location, and work location should be considered when developing strategies to promote healthy movement behaviours. Future studies could explore hybrid work arrangements, and longitudinal study designs.

Job demands and resources perceived by hybrid working employees in German public administration: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Hybrid working arrangements that combine remote and office work are on the rise. Although hybrid work has been associated with mental health benefits in employees, challenges in the transformation to hybrid persist particularly in public administration organizations which have been connected to a pronounced culture of presence and inadequate technical infrastructure. Further evidence on the link between hybrid working conditions and employee health is needed. To support the establishment of healthy hybrid working conditions, this study aims to identify employees' job demands, resources and support needs in public administration.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with N = 13 employees who work hybrid in public administration organizations in Northern Germany between February and May 2023. Interviewees were asked about their perceived job demands, resources, and support needs in hybrid work. The data was analyzed in a deductive-inductive approach of qualitative content analysis, primarily supported by the job demands-resources model as a theoretical framework.

RESULTS

Several job demands, e.g., an increase in work and meetings, and resources such as personal freedom and responsibility, were identified in the context of hybrid work. A multitude of the reported job resources and demands relate to work organization and social relationships. The results disclose discrepancies between participants' experiences of job demands and resources, underlining the subjectivity of employees' perceptions of hybrid working conditions. Interviewees' support needs for hybrid work also varied, encompassing structural-level aspects such as increased acceptance and promotion of hybrid work in the organization as well as behavioral-level aspects, for instance, strategies and self-discipline for boundaries and structure.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a first comprehensive overview of the job demands, resources and support needs in hybrid work in public administration. This study builds an important basis for further research to understand the impact of hybrid working conditions on health-related employee outcomes. The identified support needs provide a valuable point of reference for health-promoting hybrid working conditions which public administration employers should begin establishing as early as possible in the ongoing transition to hybrid work.

The influence of spousal support on the outcomes and willingness of work from home for female knowledge workers

This study identified the key factors of spousal support that influence the outcomes and willingness of female knowledge workers to work from home (WFH). A questionnaire of 59 items was developed, covering basic personal information, spousal support, work perception, work-life balance, and willingness to WFH: 139 valid responses from female participants were collected and analysed. Exploratory factor analysis revealed six distinct factors of spousal support. Regression analysis found that personal-related emotional support, personal-related instrumental support, work-related emotional support, and work-related instrumental support demonstrated positive correlations with work perception and work-life balance, while family-related instrumental support positively correlated with work-life balance. Personal-related emotional support and personal-related instrumental support positively correlated with the willingness to WFH. Notably, personal-related emotional support exhibited the strongest correlation coefficients for willingness and outcomes. The findings could provide information on how a husband could improve his wife's well-being when WFH.Practitioner summary: A survey was conducted among female knowledge workers to examine the influence of different factors of spousal support on the outcomes and willingness of WFH. The results shed light on how husbands can improve their wives' well-being during WFH, offering practical guidance for supporting spouses in this context.

Interior designers' strategies for creating social office space

The rise of remote working has highlighted the importance of office spaces that support employees' social well-being. However, there is a lack of explicit knowledge on how to design such spaces. In order to address this gap, this study explored the strategies employed by practitioners in designing social office spaces. In-depth interviews with fifteen experienced interior designers were analysed using means-end chain theory. This revealed the designers' common aim to encourage informal social interactions through creating attractive, spacious, recognisable, and spatially integrated breakout spaces. Additionally, communicating group identity, promoting visibility, and offering a cosy atmosphere aimed to foster a sense of connectedness among employees. These findings not only enable more deliberate design decisions but also serve as valuable insights for less experienced designers. Moreover, the framework of design components, affordances and design objectives that emerged from this study can enhance communication between designers and stakeholders involved in office projects.

The Covid-19 Pandemic and The Future of Work

INTRODUCTION

The "future of work" refers to workplace modifications projected to occur following large scale events impacting workforce health and safety such as pandemics, technological advancements, or economic shifts. This paper examines the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the future of work.

METHODS

The electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus were explored using search terms such as "post-pandemic," "working force," and "future of work" to retrieve papers published between 2000 and 2023.

RESULTS

The main characteristics of the future of work modification revealed are blurring of work-home boundaries, increase in telework and the gig economy, demand for artificial intelligence, smart working, quiet hiring, diversity and inclusion, and algocratic governance. Needed skills include virtual collaboration capability, cross-cultural competency, computational thinking, news media literacy, transdisciplinarity, sense making, and focusing on mental health and well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Organizations are remodeling workforces to meet employee, employer, regulatory, and market expectations to adapt to future workplace needs.

Employer representatives' experiences of supporting employees with cognitive impairments in a digital work environment

BACKGROUND

Digital work poses cognitive demands on all employees, but the impact is greater for employees with cognitive impairments. Digitalization also has significant implications for employer representatives as they are responsible for the work environment. However, knowledge is scarce concerning employer representatives' perspectives on identifying needs and support for employees with cognitive impairments working in a digital work environment.

OBJECTIVE

To describe employer representatives' experiences of work environment management with focus on employees with cognitive impairments working in a digital environment.

METHODS

Focus group methodology was used. Six employer representatives with work environment responsibilities participated.

RESULTS

One overall theme "Mastering the interconnected processes in a transformative digital work environment" as well as three themes "Facilitating good digital work conditions", "Identifying needs and difficulties in work tasks among employees' with cognitive impairments" and "Pursuing knowledge and collaborations to support employees with cognitive impairments" with subthemes were identified. The themes describe employer representatives' challenges and efforts to identify fluctuating needs in employees with cognitive impairments and, also, to organize and reduce cognitive demands in the work environment to support them.

CONCLUSIONS

Managing the challenges of an evolving digital work environment and matching individual work ability of employees with cognitive impairments in relation to cognitive demands is an ongoing process. The participants valued cooperation with employees with cognitive impairments but lacked support from expertise. The need to develop and implement a functioning support system for vocational rehabilitation to ensure a sustainable work in digital work environments is indicated.

Systemic Occupational Health Needs of Gender-Based Violence Advocates: Findings From the Early Months of the Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study explores occupational health burdens faced by domestic and sexual violence advocates, many of which intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies key stressors and offers advocate-driven recommendations to improve their wellbeing, addressing the lack of system-level interventions in the occupational health literature.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 advocacy professionals. Thematic content analysis guided transcript coding, and researchers shared initial results with participants in two member checking sessions to validate the preliminary findings.

RESULTS

Advocates experienced logistical, emotional, and systemic stressors, including loss of peer support and unempathetic workplace cultures. Recommendations prioritize advocate wellbeing and call for systemic changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Advocates' occupational stressors highlight the need for system-level solutions to enhance their occupational wellbeing, particularly during large-scale emergencies. Collaborative efforts among employers, funders, and staff are essential to address system deficiencies.

Measuring remote working skills: Scale development and validation study

Remote work, one of the most significant working arrangements of today, requires certain employee skills. Although there are some hints, there is not much information in the literature on this subject. This study aims to identify the skills required for productive remote working activities and to develop a scale for measuring these skills. For this purpose, a thorough review of the literature, consultation with experts, and analysis of data obtained from four samples with remote working experience were all conducted. Within this context, item generation and content validation, initial factor structure analysis, and factor structure confirmation and construct validity examination were performed. Consequently, the Remote Working Skills Scale was developed, which has 36 items and five dimensions (cybersecurity, problem-solving, time management, verbal communication, and written communication).

The impact of remote work using mobile information and communication technologies on physical health: a systematic review

Remote e-working with information and communication technology (ICT) has long been on the rise, with its implementation accelerated by mandatory working from home regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic literature review summarises the influencing factors of ICT-based remote e-working (device types, duration of use, user interfaces, etc.) on the physical health (musculoskeletal system and eyes) of knowledge workers. A search in four electronic databases and a manual search in four German journals resulted in 21 articles being included in this review. A bias analysis was conducted for all articles. Unfavourable postures, inappropriate working devices and certain environmental factors may cause a range of physical complaints, even after comparably short periods of time. Mostly, these complaints are greater compared to those experienced when working on a fully equipped stationary computer. Therefore, remote e-working requires careful planning, awareness, and the willingness to embrace working situations that counteract these problems.

Examining the trade-offs in clean energy provision: Focusing on the relationship between technology transfer, renewable energy, industrial growth, and carbon footprint reduction

Sustainable energy mitigates climate change by reducing reliance on coal and oil for power generation, curbing global warming. It addresses environmental concerns and yields economic benefits-reduced fossil fuel dependence, financial inclusion, productive employment, and economic development. This research examines the impact of regional economic integration on environmental sustainability in 39 high-income European and Central Asian (ECA) nations from 2017 to 2021. Specifically, the study analyzes the influence of green energy demand, technological transfers, and trade openness on carbon emissions. The study employed various estimators, namely, a two-step Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation, quantile regression, and the cointegration panel approach. These estimators were utilized to capture different aspects and dynamics of the research variables. The study finds that regional green programs and trade agreements effectively reduce carbon emissions, while technological advances and industrial output tend to raise them. Granger causality analyses reveal that emissions-led regional development, technical innovation, and trade openness are interconnected factors, and the deployment of renewable energy contributes to carbon emissions. The inter-temporal analysis suggests that regional economic integration factors will likely impact carbon emissions in the following decade. These findings support neoclassical growth theory, new institutional economics, and ecological modernization theory. Developing renewable energy sources in the region can minimize energy price fluctuations, strengthen energy security, and align with the carbon neutrality agenda. This research emphasizes the need for sustainable energy strategies and regional cooperation to foster a greener and more sustainable future.

Employees of the banking sector in Guizhou Province in China: prevalence of migraine, symptoms, disability and occupational risk factors

BACKGROUND

Although studies have identified a high prevalence of migraine among employees in the banking sector, the symptoms of migraine, related disability and occupational risk factors are not well understood.

AIMS

To determine migraine prevalence, symptoms and disability among bank employees in Guizhou province in China and to examine occupational risk factors associated with migraine positivity and symptoms.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional survey, two-stage probability sampling was used to select bank employees in Guizhou province, China. From May to October 2022, uniformly trained interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews using the HARDSHIP questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with migraine positivity and symptoms.

RESULTS

Of 1,985 contactable eligible subjects, 1,929 (male 45.4%, female 54.6%) completed the survey. The one-year prevalence of migraine was 27.2% (95% CI 25.2-29.2%). Of migraine-positive individuals, 11.2% had a monthly frequency ≥ 15 days, 11.8% had an attack duration > 72 h, and 14.9% had severe pain intensity. The median of days lost from work, housework and social activities due to migraine during a three-month period was 4, 3 and 2 days, respectively, with more than half (52.8%) patients reporting Grade III or IV disability. In multivariable analyses, positions in data analysis (OR = 1.8 [95% CI 1.2-2.8], p < 0.01) and information technology (OR = 3.8 [95% CI 1.7-8.3], p < 0.01) were occupational risk factors for migraine positivity. It was also found that professional positions were predictive of migraine attacks ≥ 15 days per month, administrative positions were predictive of duration > 72 h and severe pain intensity of migraine attacks, and working in remote branches was predictive of duration > 72 h.

CONCLUSIONS

Migraine is prevalent among employees in the banking sector in Guizhou province in China, with a large proportion of sufferers carrying a high burden of symptoms and disability. The practical implication of this study is that the risk factors identified here could be translated to the focus of workplace monitoring and interventions to manage and prevent migraine.

Lessons on employees' digital resilience from COVID-19-induced transitions to remote work – a mixed methods study

Purpose

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees had to switch to remote work. While some adjusted successfully to this transition, others have struggled. Leveraging information systems (IS) to adjust to major exogenous shocks is called digital resilience. The purpose of this paper is to understand what we can learn about employees' digital resilience from externally enforced transitions to remote work.

Design/methodology/approach

As digital resilience is challenging to measure, this study uses an embedded mixed methods approach. The authors conducted a qualitative analysis of 40 employees' statements on their remote work experience during the first six months of the pandemic and complemented these findings with scale-based digital resilience scores.

Findings

The authors find that employees' digital resilience largely depends on the amount of technical equipment and support they receive from their organizations as well as their ability and willingness to learn how to adequately use and communicate through information and communication technologies. Being self-disciplined and self-responsible positively affects digital resilience, while social isolation threatens it. Organizations can foster digital resilience building by encouraging digital networking, building a digital culture and netiquette, and treating digital resilience as a sociotechnical phenomenon.

Originality/value

This is one of the first empirical studies of digital resilience on a human level. It sheds light on the missing link between IS-enabled resilience and transitions to remote work. Specifically, it provides original insights into its development and manifestation in a remote work context during the COVID-19 pandemic. For researchers, it provides novel guidance on choosing appropriate measurement instruments to capture digital resilience.

Supporting Knowledge Workers’ Health and Well-Being in the Post-Lockdown Era

The specific problem is that knowledge workers experience high levels of stress and burnout in their professional lives, a trend that increased due to the transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. This integrative literature review addresses this problem by answering the following research questions: (1) How can working in the post-lockdown era allow greater well-being, job satisfaction, and job security to abide?; and (2) How can mental capital be increased in the 21st century to ensure maximum health and positive well-being in the future employment arena and on a global scale? This review contributes to the literature on worker health and wellbeing, hybrid work arrangements, and knowledge workers’ professional experiences. The findings suggest that knowledge workers can only thrive in a hybrid work environment if organizations take an empathetic approach to manage these workers and give them sufficient autonomy and flexibility in determining their work conditions, in addition to ample opportunities for social interaction and professional advancement.

Telework: A Social and Emotional Perspective of the Impact on Employees' Wellbeing in the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic gives us the largest telework experiment ever conducted globally, that will most likely leave visible and lasting marks on the organization of the labor market in the future. The purpose of this approach is to investigate the wellbeing from the social and emotional perspective of the individual, considering relevant relational communication, emotional dimension, work intensity, organization, autonomy and work-life balance, customized in the context of teleworking. The information was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. The wellbeing assessment was performed based on the correlation analysis and the regression analysis. The results of the studies reveal that the existence of adequate communication and work-life balance ensure the wellbeing of telework employees, while the increase in work intensity degrades it. Furthermore, good communication moderates the relationship between organizational skills and wellbeing. The comparative analysis of wellbeing in relation to the explanatory variables considered by including the gender and age perspective reveals the existence of different configurations, with specific signs and statistical meanings.

The influence of distractions of the home-work environment on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Previous research showed that office workers are mainly distracted by noise, influencing their mental health. Little investigation has been done into the influence of other workspace characteristics (i.e. temperature, amount of space, visual privacy, adjustability of furniture, wall colours, and workspace cleanliness) on distractions at the office, and even fewer while working from home (WFH). The influence of home-workspace distractions on mental health also received limited attention. This research aims to investigate relationships between home-workspace and personal characteristics, distraction, and mental health while WFH during COVID-19. A path analysis approach was used, to find that, at home, employees were distracted by noise and when having a small desk. Those with a dedicated workroom were less distracted. Distractions mediated most relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health, while personal characteristics influenced mental health directly. Employers can use these results to redesign policies regarding home-and-office working to stimulate a healthy work environment.Practitioner summary: The investigation of the influence of home-workspace characteristics on distractions and mental health while WFH during COVID-19 appears to be limited. This research filled this gap by performing a path analysis, using a holistic definition of mental health. Findings showed that distractions mediate relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health.

Differences in office-based personal space perception between British and Korean populations

We sought to understand how the perception of personal space is influenced by different levels of social density, spatial density, and type of window-view in South Korean and United Kingdom workplaces. We employed virtual reality to simulate shared and single occupancy offices. We obtained personal space estimations using a virtual disc around the participant which could be extended and retracted, inside the simulation, to indicate perceived amount of personal space, and compared this measure to questionnaire-based estimations. We found that in both cultures participants experienced greater perceived personal space (1) when in a sparse rather than dense office and (2) having a view of the city outside the office. However, British, but not Korean, participants had significantly higher personal space estimations in single occupancy offices than in shared offices. These results suggest subtle cross-cultural differences in workplace experience, that could only be investigated using virtual reality.

Exploring Managerial Job Demands and Resources in Transition to Distance Management: A Qualitative Danish Case Study

Organizations worldwide have shifted to working from home, requiring managers to engage in distance management using information and communication technologies (ICT). Studies show that managers experience high job demands and inadequate guidance during COVID-19; therefore, the transition to distance management raises questions about the increase in managerial job demands and the impact on managers' well-being. This study aims to explore first-line managers' perceptions of job demands and available resources during the first year of the pandemic and understand the implications for first-line managers' well-being. First-line managers face complex and conflicting demands, making them more challenged in their management task than other management levels. We used the job demands-resources model in this qualitative, longitudinal empirical study. The study draws on 49 semi-structured interviews with seven first-line managers from a large pharmaceutical company in Denmark, whom we followed throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, from May 2020 to May 2021. Our findings suggest that the first-line managers perceived increased emotional and practical demands. While the managers appreciated the initial guidance provided by the organization, they perceived the organizational support as outdated and superficial. As a result, to cope with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic and the shift to distance management, the managers relied on work engagement enablers such as social support. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic portrays unique circumstances in transitioning to distance management that require further exploration outside the COVID-19 context, the insights from this study can assist organizations in developing awareness about transitions to better support first-line management to embrace changes in the future.

Skills and abilities to thrive in remote work: What have we learned

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid acceleration in the number of individuals engaging in remote work. This presented an opportunity to study individuals that were not voluntarily working remotely pre-pandemic and examine how they adapted and learned to achieve success in a remote work environment, at an organization that did not have substantial prior experience managing remote work. We used a semi-structured interview process to interview participants (n = 59) who occupied both Individual Contributor and Leadership levels at an organization and broadly representative across several important demographic characteristics. We asked participants to discuss what factors at individual, team, and organizational levels contributed positively toward their remote work experience, which factors presented challenges to remote work, and what could be done to ensure success with remote work in the future. Interviews were analyzed utilizing a thematic analysis approach and summarized into common themes pertaining to factors that influence success in a remote working environment. Themes were used to identify specific skillsets particularly relevant to remote work that would benefit from training, as well as important organizational culture changes and policies needed to support remote workers and ensure their success. We present these and other findings in relation to current research and provide recommendations for practitioners.

How Conditions and Resources Connected to Digital Management Systems and Remote Work Are Associated with Sustainable Work

The current state of work-life transformation will see more white-collar work being performed remotely using digital management systems. There is, however, a lack of research on factors and resources contributing to sustainable work when working remotely using digital management systems. The aim of this study was to study the conditions and resources connected to digital management systems and remote work, and their associations with sustainable work, in terms of process quality, trust, and sense of coherence, when working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. An analytical cross-sectional study was performed. Questionnaire data from white-collar employees (n = 484) in two private companies were analyzed with regression models, focusing on the importance of the conditions and resources connected to digital management systems and remote work, stratified by working from home or at the office. The results showed digital conditions and resources being associated with indicators of sustainable work. Furthermore, the results showed that social work relations were additional important explanatory factors for sustainable remote work. This study contributes to the development of a new post-pandemic work-life balance by concluding that sustainable remote work needs to be ensured by functional digital management systems and adequate leadership supporting the development of a positive team and learning climate.

Criteria and Guidelines for Human-Centered Work Design in a Digitally Transformed World of Work: Findings from a Formal Consensus Process

With the increasing digital transformation, work tasks are changing-in some cases, significantly. Our study addresses the question of whether the established criteria for work design are still sufficient or if they should get updated and additional criteria become necessary in the context of digitalization. In a multistage consensus process involving interdisciplinary groups of experts, we have identified specific criteria for the humane design of work in a world increasingly permeated by digitalized work tools. Starting with an expert workshop using a combined nominal group/focus group technique, followed by a real-time Delphi study, a content analysis and a five-stage peer comment process, we detected 13 criteria and 38 design guidelines for human-centered work in digital transformation. Mapping these with established criteria, it became apparent that some established criteria have experienced a new dynamic because of the digital transformation. For other criteria, a need for digitization-sensitive design is discernible. In addition, criteria have emerged whose necessity is rooted in the digital transformation. A diffusion and stronger interconnection of the various levels of the work system in connection with the digital transformation of work is apparent.

Resilience through operational flexibility for crisis response: an international investigation of firm responses during COVID-19

Purpose

Crisis response has emerged as a salient concern for firms in the onset of COVID-19. While research suggests that resilience is critical during such disruptions, there remains a need to examine how firms build resilience during evolving situations. This study focuses on resiliency created through operational flexibility and examines how firms developed resiliency to COVID-19 through an adaptation of three technology-based levers of flexibility: change in a firm's product and service offerings, the channel it uses for sales and the location of a firm's workforce.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a unique cross-sectional dataset generated from a survey administered by a reputable financial institution, from March 20 to June 20, during the inception of COVID crisis. This study uses ordinary least squares to analyze data from 6,076 firms across 20 countries.

Findings

Results indicate that flexibility through a combination of a change in a firm's product and service offerings, with movement to selling through a digital channel, had a positive impact on firm sales. However, flexibility through a combination of change in product and service offerings with workforce location changes had negative impacts. Robustness analysis indicates that negative impacts worsen in countries with higher digitization and in manufacturing and retail firms as compared to service firms, indicating the inflexibility of physical goods–based business models. Results highlight dimensions through which technology-based flexibility can take place and the benefits of flexibility on firm performance.

Originality/value

This study provides managerial insights into technology-based operational flexibility mechanisms that can be employed for building performance resilience during unexpected disruptions. Research findings inform firms facing supply chain challenges and inflation pressures of business today.

Presenteeism in Non-Academic Staff in a Public University Context: Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Reasons to Work While Sick during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Presenteeism negatively affects worker performance. We aimed to know the prevalence of presenteeism in non-academic university staff, identify health problems and associated factors, as well as explore the reasons that led to presenteeism during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 332 non-academic staff. The Portuguese version of the Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS-6) was used, and socio-demographic and occupational data were collected. Participants were divided into groups according to the presenteeism cut-off score (no presenteeists, presenteeists with high job performance, presenteeists with low job performance). Multinomial regression was used to identify occupational and demographic characteristics associated with presenteeism. An open question replies analysis made it possible to explore the reasons for going to work while sick. Presenteeism was experienced by 30.1%. Presenteeism with high job performance was not associated with socio-demographic and work factors. Professionals who performed only physical work (OR = 9.4; 95% CI: 1.7; 51.0) and those who conducted hybrid work (OR = 4.1; 95% CI: 1.8; 9.6) showed a higher risk of belonging to the presenteeist group with low job performance. Financial reasons led professionals to work while sick. This study raises the importance of evaluating presenteeism in non-academic staff to create conditions for them to maintain high performance despite presenteeism and to intervene when there is low performance due to presenteeism.

Exploring the Use of Mobile Apps for Fostering Sustainability-Oriented Corporate Culture: A Qualitative Analysis

Information systems (IS) play a central role in promoting corporate sustainability and pro-environmental behavior. This study explores the use of mobile apps for fostering sustainability-oriented corporate culture. It accentuates issues relating to sustainability-oriented corporate culture (RQ1), app meta-requirements as a strategic approach to addressing these issues (RQ2), as well as design and implementation principles (RQ3). Referring to the literature on sustainability apps, gamification, and nudging, our qualitative research design combines an analysis of four corporate apps intending to promote sustainable behavior and expert interviews (Grounded Theory). The proposed framework supports the planning, realization, and monitoring of this targeted app use. Single cultural dimensions inform seven issues in culture development. Five meta-requirements address this multi-dimensionality, challenges provided by new digital working environments, and principles of Green IT. Four design principles support, extend, and integrate current knowledge on app features, nudging, and gamification. Five variables determine the app intervention and maturity level. We conclude that this targeted app use should intend to foster the sustainability orientation within all dimensions of corporate culture instead of being limited to promoting sustainable behavior.

Adding Knowledge to Virtual Teams in the New Normal: From Leader-Team Communication towards the Satisfaction with Teamwork

The present paper sets out to investigate the relationships among several key constructs that cover the work patterns and processes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emphasis is laid on the leader-team communication, the fostering of a strong team culture, team performance and satisfaction with teamwork in the case of virtual teams. The scrutiny is intended to complement recent developments in the field which compared traditional and virtual teams at different levels by adding knowledge to virtual teams’ communication and interaction patterns and processes. In this vein, an online survey was conducted with 175 members from different virtual teams. The findings showed the advancement of a pertinent conceptual model, mostly displaying significant relationships among constructs. Four out of the five formulated hypotheses were validated, the highest influences being reported between leader-team communication and team culture, respectively, and between team performance and satisfaction with teamwork. Furthermore, the structural model explained over 50% of the variance in the satisfaction with teamwork, thus supporting the relevance of the inferred relationships.

Special Issue “Rethinking the Subjective Wellbeing for a New Workplace Scenario”

From the public health policies’ view, promoting subjective wellbeing is a must because it positively influences employee health and longevity [...]