Telework perceptions in hospital workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic-the ADAPTAWORK2 study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Health
• Pandemic Response

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered hospital work environments, accelerating the adoption of telework.
• Understanding evolving perceptions of telework among healthcare professionals is crucial for future work models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate hospital workers' perceptions of telework across different pandemic phases.
• To identify factors influencing telework perceptions in the post-pandemic era.

Main Methods:

• An observational cross-sectional study surveyed 882 hospital workers from October to December 2023.
• Telework perceptions were measured using visual analog scales (0-100) before, during, and after the pandemic.
• Statistical analysis identified associations between telework experience and perceptions.

Main Results:

• Telework adoption reached 41.4% during the pandemic, with 33.3% continuing post-pandemic.
• Telework perceptions significantly improved over time (mean scores: 54.3 pre-pandemic, 62.7 during lockdown, 66.0 post-pandemic).
• First-time telework experience correlated with more positive and sustained perceptions.

Conclusions:

• Hospital workers' perceptions of telework became significantly more positive throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Experiencing telework, especially for the first time, led to sustained positive views.
• Telework represents a lasting shift in hospital work organization, impacting employee perspectives.