Changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion and occupational burnout associated with the Covid-19 pandemic: cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study

Anshu Uppal, Nick Pullen, Hélène Baysson, Stephanie Schrempft, Aminata Rosalie Bouhet, María-Eugenia Zaballa, Julien Lamour, Mayssam Nehme, Idris Guessous, Silvia Stringhini, Elsa Lorthe, for the Specchio-COVID19 study group.
Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study.BMC Public Health, 23 January 2025, doi:/10.1186/s12889-024-21142-z

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a massive transition to teleworking, raising questions about its potential impact on employee well-being. This study explores the link between changes in the frequency of teleworking (compared with before the pandemic) and two indicators of burnout: emotional exhaustion and burnout diagnosed by professionals.

Methods: The data come from two groups in a study conducted in Geneva, Switzerland: a representative sample of the population and a sample of workers mobilised at the start of the pandemic. Emotional exhaustion was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (EE-MBI). Self-reported burnout was measured by asking participants whether they had been professionally diagnosed with burnout in the last 12 months. Participants were categorised according to the changes they observed in their frequency of teleworking: "No change", "Increase", "Decrease", "Never teleworked", "Telework impossible". Multivariate regression models analysed the links between these changes and burnout, taking into account socio-demographic, home-related and work-related factors.

Results: In the population-based sample (n = 1,332), the median emotional exhaustion score was 14 (interquartile range 6 to 24), and 7.3% of participants reported a diagnosis of burnout. Compared with those who did not change their teleworking frequency (19% of the sample):

• Those who reduced the frequency of teleworking (4%) and those for whom teleworking was impossible (28.7%) had higher emotional exhaustion scores (+5.26 and +3.51 points respectively).
• They were also more likely to have been diagnosed with burnout (odds multiplied by 10.59 and 3.42).

On the other hand, reporting an increase in teleworking (28.9%) or never teleworking (19.4%) were not significantly associated with emotional exhaustion or burnout. These results were found in the sample of workers involved, with the exception of those for whom teleworking was not possible, who had no more diagnosed burnout than people reporting no change in terms of frequency of teleworking.

Conclusions: Decreased teleworking frequency and inability to telework were associated with increased emotional exhaustion and diagnosed burnout. As companies redefine their teleworking policies in the post-pandemic era, they should consider the impact of these organisational changes on employee well-being.

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