Work and Health in Times of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has a variety of health, economic and psychosocial effects. The broad working population is suddenly faced with new living and working challenges as a result of the pandemic. Those who are able to work from home often experience an unexpected increase in the density of their working and private lives and difficulties in maintaining their well-being and a healthy work-life balance. Moreover, many employees are affected by short-time work or even loss of their jobs, which means that an important part of their everyday life and their own identity is lost. The crisis demands the highest adjustment efforts from all employees and especially puts the disadvantaged population groups with less educational background and a lack of social support at a high risk of deep personal crises. This has far-reaching negative health consequences in short and medium term. Thus, in this study, we will explore the current psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the working population, and also, we aim to identify the characteristics of individuals that are particularly well able to cope with the crisis in terms of maintaining their level of sense of coherence and health. We will compare the data collected in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland before (June 2019) and after the start of the COVID-19 crisis (April/June 2020) to identify its acute effects on the working and living situation (job/home demands and resources), sense of coherence, and (mental) health.

See also ongoing project craft4health