Work-From-Home During COVID-19 Lockdown: When Employees' Well-Being and Creativity Depend on Their Psychological...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Organizational Behavior
• Sociology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated widespread adoption of remote work arrangements.
• Mandatory work from home (WFH) policies raise concerns about employee well-being and performance.
• Individual differences may mediate the impact of WFH on employees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between WFH and employee well-being and creativity.
• To explore the influence of psychological profiles (solitude preference, Big Five traits) on WFH outcomes.
• To identify distinct employee profiles and their differential experiences with mandatory remote work.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted with 946 employees in France during the second lockdown.
• Data collection occurred between November 13th and December 15th, 2020.
• Psychological profiles were assessed, combining solitude preference and Big Five personality variables.

Main Results:

• Two distinct psychological profiles, 'Solitary' and 'Affiliative', emerged among employees working from home.
• 'Solitary' employees reported higher work loneliness, stress, and lower job satisfaction and engagement.
• 'Solitary' employees perceived lower creativity and objectively produced fewer ideas compared to 'Affiliative' employees.

Conclusions:

• Employee psychological profiles significantly influence the effects of mandatory work from home.
• The 'Solitary' profile is associated with negative well-being and creativity outcomes.
• Distinguishing teleworker profiles and providing targeted support for less affiliative employees is recommended.