Project description
This mixed-methods study revolves around the work conditions and well-being of employees that have been working remotely, either partially or fully, in the past 12 months. Remote work is conceptualized as work that takes place outside the formal workplace, or within the home of the employee. In light of the increased prevalence of remote work, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic period, it is important to investigate whether and what impact remote work has on the mental, social and physical aspects of health and well-being of workers. Moreover as remote work is being requested by both employees and employers, it is crucial to examine how remote work influences those who engage in it. We need to be critical and ask where this development is heading, and open dialogue on who is steering the course. Is society unselectively accepting the technological innovations that make remote work possible, as they symbolize modernity and development? Are we concerned about being perceived as rigid and outdated? And, does remote work inadvertently keep gender roles in place?
Previous studies indicate that although technological developments are generally believed to facilitate the balance between family and work life, this perception is not entirely straightforward (Heijstra and Rafnsdóttir, 2010; Rafnsdóttir and Heijstra, 2013). As the workday tends to lengthen, it also becomes increasingly difficult to detach from work. These findings are similar to those of Rafnsdóttir and Stefánsson (2014) when they examined the attitudes of top executives in Iceland. The majority of executives stated that remote work lengthened their workday, and about half of them said that balancing work and family life became more complicated. Nevertheless, they considered the possibility of remote work to be important as it reduced the necessity of physical presence at the workplace. Male executives who stated that remote work diminished their well-being were more likely to experience stress and fatigue, and they found their job more demanding compared to those who had a more positive attitude towards remote work. Related research (Hjálmsdóttir and Rafnsdóttir, 2022; Staub and Rafnsdóttir, 2020; Rafnsdóttir and Júlíusdóttir, 2018) furthermore shows that women experience more difficulty in attending to work at home, because of family demands. They are therefore more likely than men to experience stress when taking their work home.
Novelty of the project
The novelty of the project lies in linking technological development in the labour market to occupational health, and to examine the physical, mental and social well-being of remote workers. The group of remote workers is notably diverse, which leads to frequent oversight in general labour market studies and surveys. As remote workers are not (often) physically present within their organisation, there is also the risk that they are overlooked in daily routines and decision making processes. In this project we therefore intend to shed light on the work conditions, health and well-being of remote workers specifically. Subsequently, by comparing the findings to those of a representative sample of adults in Iceland that were surveyed about health, well-being and welfare, we expect to be able to identify the ways in which remote workers stand out from traditional workers. To our knowledge such study has not been conducted in Iceland or elsewhere.
Fundings
This study is funded by the Icelandic Health and Safety at Workplaces Fund, a collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour and the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health.
