Appendix

Appendices 1-4 (in Swedish)

Summary

The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic led to a range of restrictions and recommendations and a subsequent economic crisis which affected many individuals’ working and private lives. Thus far, however, few Swedish and international population-based studies have examined changes in the work environment related to the coronavirus pandemic with a focus on different sectors of the labour market – besides the healthcare sector – which are representative of the general working population.

The aim of this report is to examine changes in perceptions of organizational and psychosocial work environment factors, as well as perceptions of the balance between work and private life, across and during the coronavirus pandemic. The objective is also to examine whether possible changes within these areas differed depending on an individual’s background characteristics, such as sex, age, education, socioeconomic status, occupation, or if they differed depending on whether individuals worked remotely during the coronavirus pandemic.

Conclusions

The results from these analyses indicate several changes in the organisational work environment related to the coronavirus pandemic – especially a general increase in telework and a decrease in working hours. The results were less clear regarding demands and resources. While the slight decrease in psychological demands and increase in control/decision authority may indicate an improvement in the balance between demands and control, there were indications of an increase in certain types of demands such as workload and mental workload, at least among certain groups in the labor market. Furthermore, the results suggested a general deterioration of the social environment and a relatively good balance between work and private life.

However, there were marked differences depending on background factors and telework. For example, an increase in certain job demands and a deterioration in certain social environmental characteristics was indicated among individuals working in the healthcare and educational sectors, and among individuals who had remained working at their ordinary workplace during the coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, it was indicated that highly-educated and skilled workers and individuals working remotely had a relatively good balance between work and private life, but experienced deterioration in other social work environment factors.

Authors

Docent Linda L Magnusson Hanson, Stockholm University

Docent Cecilia U D Stenfors, Stockholm University

Doctoral student Maria Wijkander, Stockholm University

Sandra Blomqvist, PhD, Stockholm University

Professor Hugo Westerlund, Stockholm University