Investigating Factors Associated with Employees' Attitudes Towards Work-Related Infection Control Measures During the...

Background/Objectives: This study is part of an exploratory mixed-methods project investigating how companies and their employees in Germany dealt with adapted working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we identify predictive factors for employees' attitudes towards the suitability of work-related technical, organisational, and personal SARS-CoV-2 infection control measures. Methods: In July 2021, when there was little evidence to suggest that the risk of work-related exposure to SARS-CoV-2 differed between occupations and workplaces, a standardised online and an optional paper-and-pencil survey were distributed across seven companies in southern Germany. Multivariate linear regression was used for analysis. Results: A total of 821 employees participated (average response rate: 24.5%). Most of the respondents (93%) worked in large companies, in the production industry (82%), with most of them having office jobs (82%). Around 29% reported doing most of their office work remotely during the pandemic. The perceived suitability of workplace infection control measures was rated quite high, with an overall mean score of 4.11 (SD 0.60) out of a possible 5. Workplace characteristics related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as individual perception of SARS-CoV2 and COVID-19 in general were the most prominent predictors of attitudes towards the suitability of work-related SARS-CoV-2 infection control. For example, a higher COVID-19-specific reactance was negatively associated with attitudes towards technical (ß = -0.16), organisational (ß = -0.14), and personal (ß = -0.17) infection control measures (all p-values < 0.001). Furthermore, a higher rating of the employer's commitment to occupational safety and health related to SARS-CoV-2, a higher individual disease perception, and a higher individual COVID-19-specific resilience had a positive association with attitudes towards the suitability of infection control measures. Finally, professional activity as well as company affiliation had statistically significant associations with employees' attitudes towards the suitability of infection control measures. Conclusions: The results provide insight into factors relevant to pandemic prevention and control. In particular, our findings highlight the potential to implement organisational measures alongside compulsory technical occupational health measures. This could inform the development of pandemic preparedness strategies that prioritise adherence to established occupational infection control measures.