Teleworking in confinement due to covid-19 and work stress.

The fact of not having an established schedule, of living and working in the same physical space and not having the same alternatives to rest as they had before the pandemic, are some of the factors that alter the life of workers according to expert voices. Before the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus, telework seemed to many companies as a bonus of quality of life for employees. Now it has become, for certain workers, a punishment rather than a reward.

Source

Many people are suffering stress and anxiety during the quarantines imposed to curb the pandemic, accompanied by physical symptoms such as insomnia, loss of appetite, vomiting, short temper, irritability and mood swings. The stress caused by teleworking is a socio-productive problem that has been very noticeable in those who exercise this type of work with the implementation of the new on-line modality to teach at a distance.

On the other hand, external events as generators of stress are not necessarily very noticeable to others, but can accumulate in their effects until it reaches the limit, causing serious illnesses in the vast majority of workers who suffer from this problem. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) defines telework as a form of work in which it is performed in a location away from a central office or production facilities, thus separating the worker from personal contact with work colleagues who are in that office, and new technology makes this separation possible by facilitating communication.

Source

Many of the tasks performed in an office do not require the presence of the worker at his or her post and can be performed remotely using information and communication technologies (better known as ICTs). In this way, travel times are reduced and downtime without tasks to perform is reduced. It also proposes a replanning of work; from hours in the office to hours dedicated to work. The work can be performed at home, in a hotel, in a restaurant, in a bus, in a car, in a cybercafé or in any other place. Teleworking is also an excellent option for people with some kind of limitation who cannot physically transport themselves to their work area, and for people who live in countries other than the one where they work.

Today, teleworkers have access to databases, virtual meetings and information transfer, which allows them to make decisions in real time, maximizing their efficiency within the production processes. The remote connection systems, the improvements in communications, the change of mentality of many companies that begin to see telework as a cost saving, as well as the perception that many employees have of this modality, are some of the factors that are promoting the advancement of this way of working.