The objective of this research is to identify the main factors of psychological risk presented by officials who have worked under the modality of teleworking, during the first semester of the Covid-19 pandemic. The methodology developed for this research was created out from a positivist paradigm, a quantitative approach, an exploratory character and with a non-experimental method. The tool applied CoPsoQ -istas21 provides the levels of psychosocial risk in people who work under the teleworking modality, however, it does not determine the origin of the risks, since the scope of the investigation has a sole purpose of diagnosis. According to the results obtained, it can be considered that the main psychosocial risk factors as a consequence of teleworking are the dimensions of the pace of work, quantitative requirements, emotional, double presence, employment insecurities and working conditions. The job positions exposure prevails greater risk in technical positions, while executives present a moderate risk of exposure. Finally, the exposure by sex is greater in women, mainly in the demands of predictability, insecurity about employment and insecurity about working conditions. In conclusion, there is evidence of psychosocial risks factors for health, mainly in the group of psychological demands of work, in addition, the dimensions of greater risk could be influenced by the Covid-19, which has cause insecurity as a result of unemployment worldwide.
Keywords: Teleworking, Psychosocial factors, Information technology, TIC Communications, Covid-19.
Recent developments in technologies are influencing in the companies to implement teleworking, as a way of carrying out their tasks. “More and more people are working remotely as a result of the increasing globalization and advances in information of communication technology”.1 It is so how employees can work remotely worldwide using the technology.
The research is a contribution to the occupational psychology, taking the reader on a brief tour on the subject of teleworking and psychosocial factors, carrying out the field study in one of the most important financial institutions in the country.
This research takes into consideration other elements, when dealing with life care, elements that are aligned to the transverse axes of the University of La Salle, such as fighting poverty, ecology and care of life, since the research analyzes the psychosocial risk factors, because teleworking within its main objectives is the quality of life of the collaborators, in this case study subjects of the research.
Analyze the main psychosocial risk factors that people present collaborators who work under the telecommuting modality, for an insurance broker in a public institution in Costa Rica, during the first semester of the pandemic due to the Covid-19.
The research is carried out with a positivist paradigm, a quantitative approach, an exploratory character and with a non-experimental method. The focus of the research is quantitative, since it has specific and limited approaches and its data collection it refers to the measurement and analysis in statistical procedures, with a structured pattern. It is indicated that the character is exploratory, since, according to the theoretical research, the analysis of the psychosocial factors in the teleworking modality has not been approached widely in our country, Costa Rica.
The subjects of the research are officials who are associated with the scales administrative, technical and executive, so there are collaborators of different degrees academics and from different departments.
The CoPsoQ-istas21 (version 2) method has been used as a data collection tool. The questionnaire is applied voluntarily and anonymously, to keep the confidentiality of participants. It is a public and free tool and has been applied in the American, Asian and European continents, thus being an international reference tool. The tool has a structure consisting of two parts, the risk assessment and the preventive activity planning. For investigation purposes, it will be taken into consideration only corresponding to risk assessment.
The tool was applied digitally to a total of 25 people, from whom it was obtained complete response of the tool of 21 people. For the selection of the samples, it has been done randomly, and significant considering the population that was working under telework modality.
From the data obtained it is shown that there are two dimensions that exceed 50% of prevalence in exposure to risk, which are the dimensions of work pace and work demands the dimensions emotional demands, double presence, job insecurity and insecurity about working conditions.
At the most favorable level are the dimensions of Recognition and Trust vertical that represent 100% of the sample, sense of work, justice and possibilities of development that is between 80% and 95%.
The exposure bye job position prevails with a higher risk in technicians, as they present seven dimensions in an unfavorable situation for health, while the executives present a moderate risk of exposure with five dimensions in unfavorable condition. The position with the lowest risk prevalence is the administrative position with two dimensions in the most unfavorable profile.
By departments, the greatest exposure to risk factors is in the Department of Digital Strategy and Operations, while the Commercial Management and the Administrative Finance have a moderate exposure. The dimensions of demands qualitative and pace of work are in the most unfavorable third in the three departments that participated in the investigation; while the emotional demands factor was only present, as a risk factor, in the Digital Strategy and Operations Departments and in the Commercial address.
Finally, according to the results, exposure by sex is greater in women, dimensions of qualitative demands, work pace and emotional demands are present in both men and women. However, only women have the unfavorable condition of the demands of predictability, job insecurity and insecurity job conditions. Unlike men who faced with these same demands, their conditions are favorable for health, therefore, from that point of view, the opportunities, job status, and purchasing power are generally different.
According to this scenario, it is necessary to implement a risk prevention plan, to help reduce stress levels and thus avoid the presence of burnout syndrome in teleworkers, improving their performance in their workplace and quality of life. In addition, the risk of psychosocial factors should be reviewed periodically to prevent these from reaching unfavorable levels for health.
In conclusion there is evidence of psychosocial risk factors in unfavorable for health, mainly in the group of psychosocial demands of work, further, the dimensions of higher risk could be influenced by the Covid-19 issue, which has caused insecurity as a result of unemployment worldwide.
Given this scenario, teleworkers are affected physically and emotionally when they are under a lot of stress due to the psychological demands of the work they do, which is reflected with headaches, symptoms of stomach pain, muscular tension, among other physical affectations, and at an emotional level, there is the loss of motivation or energy to go to the workplace or even in the same case of teleworking, in some cases causing depression disorders.
It is important to establish an action plan to close the gaps in the main psychosocial risk factors present in the research, since, if not addressed, these can harm the mental and physical health of employees and therefore the interests of the company. institution in terms of performance and productivity.
This research process is important because companies must take greater awareness of the close relationship between health and work, since these variants are decisive for the physical and mental well-being of employees. According to Uribe (2016) in the last century the workers have increased the risks of work, due to technological changes, economic and social crises, companies must measure and take actions, which lead to greater well-being of the collaborators and with it a greater commitment on the part of the staff.2-6
We acknowledge the materials and equipment support of University of Otago and would like to acknowledge the technical support from Neil, KC, Ludwig, and Wendy.
None.
Author declares that there is no conflict of interest.
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