Analysis of the work quality and productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Paper aims

This paper analyzes the work quality and productivity of during the COVID-19 pandemic from five Brazilian regions with three work models: face-to-face, virtual and workshiting.

Originality

Despite the number of studies on COVID-19 since the pandemic’s beginning, the literature lacks research that demonstrates relationships between productivity and the emergence of problems, illnesses, and adverse situations that compromise worker performance in the routines of these three work models.

Research method

The study used an experimental, descriptive, and transversal research design, without identification data Southeast of the participant, as anonymous and exclusive research, with 801 participants from different regions of Brazil (North, Northeast, Midwest, Northeast, and South), with different age groups. The work consisted of work issues focusing on the quality of work pandemic, for issues of analysis of time and productivity problems. The questions were about health issues in 6 parts of the study: mental demographics and increased sleep quality, fear of SARS-CoV-2, exercise, stress, and productivity.

Main findings

There was a strong significant relationship between the three work models and five variables: area of activity, work equipment used during quarantine, diseases found during the pandemic, problems reported during quarantine pandemic like sleep, stress, workload performed, and future expectations regarding the work performed and the pandemic. Significant relationships were also found with diseases before the pandemic, those perceived and reported during the pandemic period studied, and the sleep profile before and during. The statistical significance relationship was also strong between the areas of work audience and new diseases during the pandemic.

Implications for theory and practice

The research practically validates several other theoretical studies, with guidelines for the scientific community on work behavior for the three work models. The results, together with the relationships found by the statistical analysis of the p-value of the variables, help the public and private authorities to understand and rethink preventive measures in the emergence of new diseases and the optimization of work operations without compromising their quality and productivity.

Keywords:
COVID-19; Home office; Face-to-face; Productivity; Quality of work; Workshifting