Telework and Employee Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Two-Wave Survey of Employees at a Texas Health Sciences University

Introduction: In the United States (U.S.), the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the incorporation of telework at academic institutions, but its effect on employee well-being has been insufficiently studied. This study aimed to identify telework-related risk factors and assesses their associations with employee well-being during the pandemic. Methods: This repeated cross-sectional survey was conducted at a large U.S. based health sciences university in two waves: the first wave survey was conducted in May 2020 (n=1,648) and the second wave survey in October 2020 (n=932). Survey-weighted logistic regressions were used to estimate the associations of telework-related risk factors with poor well-being, measured by the 5-item World Health Organization (WHO) Well-Being Index. Results: Loneliness and personal health and safety concerns were associated with poor well-being in both waves. The effect of loneliness on poor well-being was amplified when employees needed support, indicating an interaction. Faculty were less likely to have poor well-being than staff personnel in the second wave. Conclusions: Telework may have advantages, but adverse effects are common. Employment policies should address the telework-related risk factors to improve employee well-being for future public health pandemics.