ABSTRACT:
Introduction: The Coronavirus Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected many social
organisations with the workplace being amongst those most affected. Organisation faced the challenge of
continued productivity during a global health crisis. Employees have shown signs of fatigue caused by living
with the persistent fear and anxiety of falling sick and this which can consequently resulted in a reduction in
productivity and frequently reduced income. Measures that were introduced to keep people safe such as social
distancing, lockdowns, new working styles together with necessary lifestyle changes such as social isolation
have reinforced feelings of uncertainty and fear amongst the workforce. These factors have influenced the
mental health of workers and will continue to do so as society reorganise and make the changes necessary to
accommodate new systems. Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to conceptualize the psychological
aspects linked to workplace factors following the rise of COVID-19 to epidemic proportions and in order to
address upcoming psychological critical issues in the workplaces. Method: This literature study proceeded a
search engine using Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus, using keywords SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic,
occupational health and safety, mental health, psychological disorders, COVID 19 and working people,
workplace organization and selected 30 articles out of thirty 20 articles were analyzed corroding to researchers
need. The literature information is further narrated and draws on insights of the researcher. Conclusion: The
review study conceptualizes the pandemic spread of COVID-19 and reviews its effect in the workplace as
companies reorganize and establish new patterns of operations in response the COVID-19 virus and to ensure
precautionary measure against further spread of the disease. The adaptations necessary in the wake of this
disease have novel reorganization in both structural and functional areas. The workforce at the workplace
underwent loss of its psychological homeostasis. The mitigation which ensured has led to multiple organizational
and work-related interventions intended to be instrumental in defending health-related safety in the workplaces
Coronavirus is associated to the incidence of pneumonia
first time reported in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019 It has since become prevalent not just in China but also in other parts of the globe. The review study identifies the information in the literature regarding its original term for the disease, which was first declared on
February 11, 2020, by the World Health Organization as Coronavirus Disease 19 and declared as a pandemic on 11th March 2020
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the way society was organised. Units that provided health support were stretched beyond their capacity of cope and industry and education have had to adapt radically. Normal routines such as commuting and going to work were drastically altered and many industries and companies were forced to adopt work from homeplaces to meet government requirements and to keep
their employees safe. These changes had to be made quickly to meet the demands for production and survival and this placed huge burdens on the governments, the workforce, industry and individuals. It is realistic to assume that every single person has been a significant impact on the
overall mental health of people in the workplace.
The information released by the health authorities of Wuhan, Hubei Province in China, stated that patients were suffering from pneumonia and that whilst the cause is not known these patients are epidemiologically connected to a seafood market in Wuhan.1 The rapid spread of COVID-19 has highlighted the highly interconnected way that we live. The infection which started with patients suffering from pneumonia from an unspecified cause became a global pandemic impacting on global health and with a world-wide impact on the economy as exemplified in a growing number of literature studies.
Previous literature has focused on the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic on social and economic infrastructure and the instabilities that are evidenced as a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak. 2 A number of studies have identified the abrupt drop in the global economy and the responses of the global stock market as evidenced in reported stock indices. 2 Studies have also shown a significant increase in the suicide rates. 3,4 and the economic slump has resulted in millions of people facing job loss or job insecurity. 5 There is a need for companies to adopt new methods of working that recognise the impact of the pandemic on the workforce and their families. In order to emerge successfully practice self-care and manage the impact the psychological impact on them.
companies must adopt a smart way of working to adapts to the changes within the workplace and social environment. There are many reviews on the impact of COVID-19 on global and specific economies. It is clear that the economic and productive consequences of the pandemic
will have an immense effect on job sectors and theirworkforce. We have seen drastic shift towards working from home and many specific jobs came to a halt due to the lockdowns. Literature studies have shown that this pandemic will lead to drastic consequences in the mental health of people in general and that this will have a specific impact on the workplace. People are most at risk where their jobs or circumstances involve
challenging personal and environmental demands or where circumstances required adjustments and or changes. Review analysis identifies that this pandemic has created an increased risk to both people who already suffer from psychiatric condition and those who have no previous mental health issues. Studies also show that the inevitable changes made to both work-related and other organisational structures introduced to keep people safe have had negative consequence on mental health of the people they seek to protect. 6
THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE AND ON THE WORKFORCE
There are a number of studies on earlier epidemics suchas SARS, Ebola, and so on, which evidence the emotional distress seen in the general public at times of health crisis. The evidence shows that mental health professionals and the people responsible for implementing the rules and or
social order are adversely affected and suffer from mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and so on after the outbreak of the pandemic7
The COVID-19 epidemic has shown similar and significant risk of psychological distress of people working to manage the impact of the pandemic notably among healthcare workers. The literature lists consequences such as exhaustion, frustration, desperation, discrimination, patients’ emotional enunciation, isolation, and distance of families. 8 It has become important to address the extent of the psychological consequences through precautionary actions. The current review analysis of literature studiesrecognises the significance of managing the side effects
of the pandemic and the value of providing trainingprograms for healthcare professionals so that they can practice self-care and manage the impact the psychological impact on them.
Other areas where people will benefit from support include learning how to find a balance between family life and work, better understanding the disease and clarity of the health consequences faced and a better understanding of the how psychological well-being can be affected and how to better manage the consequences. This current pandemic has highlighted the value of educating and preparing societies for future epidemics
which will almost certainly occur. There is merit in assessing the risk exposure of trained frontline healthcare personnel9 . Results from previous research that analysed the psychological outcomes of epidemics, such as the 2003 SARS epidemic, show that up to 10% of healthcare professionals had SARS-related symptoms of PTSD three years later10 . The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on psychological health. No one region or country has been exempted. This creates an opportunity to understand, better the global impacts of disease and on health on the healthcare system. The literature during this period has highlighted the impact of COVID-19 epidemic on the anxiety responses anxiety of healthcare personnel as depicted in the table below. 11
The consequences of these concerns contributed to both burnout and PTSD as evidenced in one literature study. When healthcare staff are affected emotionally or psychologically it adds to the strains on the healthcare system and may additionally increase the risk to patient safety and this burden may contribute adversely to the worsening universal stressors. 12
Global policy of mental health in the workplace The existing plan to promote good mental health in the workplace is seen to be a significant contributor towards restoring and maintaining workplace health. It is noted in the WHO’s review ‘Global Plan for Worker’s Health in 2008-2017’ and in the ‘Mental Health Action Plan in 2013-2030’ which recommends the specification of relevant principles, objectives, and implementation
strategies.
The WHO mental health plan addresses
The social determinants of mental health
Existing standards and working conditions
Coming up with events to prevent and promote health
and mental health,
Reducing stigmatisation and discrimination
concerning mental health
Accesses to evidence-based care and health services
expansion,
Easing the availability of occupational health services.
WHO and public health authorities around the world have taken action during COVID-19 outbreak, In addition, all sections of our society that includes businesses and employers over the globe, have had significant commitment and role to stop the spread of this disease.
COVID-19 and support to mitigate the impact of mental disorders at work
Social and legal organisation introduced to keep people safe during COVID-19 have contributed to the psychological distress and mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition there have been burdens placed on people who have remained in the workplace and workers as they return to work post lockdowns. Further, the aggravation of mental health issues due to unemployment, particularly long-term
unemployment, is evidenced in various research studies. Initiatives have been offered to people with mental disorders to make provisions for flexible hours, job redesign, change of workplace dynamics, and which offer supportive private communications. There are also initiatives to help people with mental disorders return to their work. Literature studies have evidenced the development of support strategies introduced to reduce the impact of COVID-19 inducted mental health issues. These strategic proposals include the expansion of specialists team trained to address emotional distress, the training of community health personnel for the mental health care15 online surveys to identify the scope of mental
health complications16 creation of online materials for mental health education; 16 online counselling and16 ; online training in self-help services. 16
Literature studies have exemplified the global involvement in developing evidence-based treatments that are beneficial for depression and other mental disorders. Previous stigma associated with mental disorders is reducing with the result that employees are more willing to request help or speak about their problems and difficulties which relate to psychological issues. The challenge for new strategies is to help people feel at ease and able to ask for support. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been helpful in addressing and reducing patients’ facing psychological distress the COVID-19 pandemic. One Chinese survey used a questionnaire to measuredepression, anxiety, and stress levels as a part of intervention strategies. 17 This current study has observed the literature, studies depicting the Chinese Version of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) used in one of the Chinese studies in their baseline interventions and also at the post-intervention studies evidenced people underwent mental health interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.18,19 Also developed various scales measuring mental health problems. The three indicators of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress are evidenced in the DASS-2 abbreviated version of DASS-42 used in their studies. 20
The workplace factors that control or worsening the effect of COVID-19 on mental health .
The management of the work-related factors that affect mental health in a pandemic situation have led to an increased focus on those professionals who are directly involved in the management and treatment of COVID19. It is however important to remember that the entire workforce has been affected by new organisational approaches, different ways of working, and other work related factors. People returning to work after the periods of work interruption have general concerns about job loss, job insecurity and fears about the future owing to a possible business failure. This has increased the need to examine the evidence of how organizational and work-related factors contribute and impact on psychological wellbeing. A number of studies have shown the impact of organizational factors on moderating or exacerbating the effect of COVID-19 on mental health. The work-related stress poor social support and long working hours are identified as potential contributors that exacerbate mental health issues, There was a need to feel safe at work by implementing procedures to manage the risk of infection and make a available personal protective equipment and it was noted that when absent these placed a burden on mental health. Qualitative studies into the many suicide cases identified underlying reasons that included, fear of COVID-19 infection, financial crisis, social isolation, stress over quarantine, fear of testing positive for COVID-19, and lockdown associated work-related stress21. The observed measures such as quarantine and delays in returning to work correspondingly affected mental health22. Information and advice on psychological matters provided by social media has proven useful23.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing has provided beneficial crisis intervention for many people. Additionally, the crisis intervention b was found to be useful as an intervention strategy for the management of mental health outcomes in healthcare workers.
Huang and Zhao (2020), revealed that higher than usual levels of stress is corresponds to the increased frequency of people thinking about the epidemic24. Therefore, people’s return to work seemed to be a relevant consideration to stop reflective thoughts on the pandemic. Reduction at working time, augmenting smart working, endorsing secure protocols, introducing training, and improving job support are shown to be related to better performance and well-being. In the study by Sasaki et al. the team expressed their views that
visible measures such as security and safety equipment seem to lead to increased optimism and improves workers well-being and performance.25 Researchers have shown that the number of prevention measures introduced can reduce psychological distress of employees suggesting how rigorous prevention measures reduce psychological distress and protect work outcomes. Some studies considered the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on mental health outcomes in vulnerable working populations have identified that the most affected workforce groups are front-line and health care workers, migrants, and young adult workers. 13 Another study by Choudhari (2020) advocated that the professional community of internal migrant workers is adversely disposed to the development of psychological effects due to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the
professional setup for migrant workers26. Chander et al. study supported this concept in a study on a cohort of Indian migrant workers27 .
Workplace factors contributing to mental and psychological issues during the COVID-19 pandemic
The current study analysis of literature finds that numerous work-related factors contribute adversely to the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of workers. The research identifies professionals in the organizations who are facing work-related stress and who additionally lack support at work are at high risk. Specific populations also identified as being at a high risk of developing mental health issues in pandemic scenarios are migrant workers and healthcare workers on the frontline. The workplace-related factors play a significant role in influencing mental and psychological issues in the COVID-19 pandemic conditions. Numerous work-related factors were found relevant to aggravate and moderate the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of workers.
Workplace connected factors affecting Mental Health in COVID-19 Pandemic workforce
Analysis of the reviewed literature has highlighted the risk facing vulnerable working populations such as migrant workers and frontline workers is the higher risk of contamination. The studies revealed the professional community of internal migrant workers are made doubly vulnerable and susceptible to mental health issues first from the psychological effects of the COVID-19 crisis and second from the desperate employment
environment26 . Living and working in the current COVID-19 pandemic conditions is a challenge. There is a requirement for investment in order to reorganise the work environment and to introduce new safety procedures to help the move towards normality. Analysis of literature studies led to
the insight of the efforts needed to address and reduce the risk categories among workers and make provisions for priority-based interventions. The evidence demonstrates that public health issues linked to both work and social environments can lead to severe psychological disturbances. The current study highlights the need for more research to provide better insights of all the related aspects affecting mental health issues, particularly those which impact on people in the workplace and the workforce in the community. 1
Organizational Factors and Target for Intervention
One of the literature studies has identified through their survey data on the mental disorders resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic that there is a prevalence of mental health conditions, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia listed in decreasing order of incidence28. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the need for those suffering from a mental disorder to have access to work and recommends instrumentally creating psychosocial rehabilitation as a process that facilitates individuals who have for the disabled due to a mental disorder to work. WHO also emphasise the importance of developing opportunities to optimize the level of independent functioning in the community. The psychosocial rehabilitation recommended by WHO includes improving individual skills as well as the introduction of environmental changes that can contribute towards better quality of life in this pandemic situation. Studies report that the simple return to work
represents an initial initiative and highlights the essential role of organization and companies. The literature review analyses the greater attention which has arisen from the of the negative psychological and medical implications of the current pandemic. 29,30 The literature studies have exemplified considerable solution and management strategies applicable at the workplace. One constraint is that most of the studies are
based on the analysis of medical and nursing staff rather than on companies and organizations at large. A number of reviews quantify the information that emphasized the usefulness of consumable strategies and methodologies in this pandemic. The correlational studies exemplified by the researchers at the workplace, that posed the need to meet emergency measures and safety equipment to confront with COVID-19 found to have a positive relationship with mental health thus has an effect on work performance of employees. 31-32 The study highlighted by Dennerlein and colleagues (2020) on the ‘Total Worker Health, (TWH) approach includes human psychological issues, ergonomic principles, supporting staff safety, physical health, and psychological well-being throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 34 It was clear that to lessen the extent of the psychological consequences actions taken. The pandemic-related information was intensively reported to develop awareness among people. The repetition and intensification of frequently reported information on COVID-19 in the media had shed negative consequences on the mental health of people. Indeed there was a need that appeared to reduce and mitigate the intensification of the frequency of reporting information.
Creating a compassionate and positive lifestyle by supporting others, helping people from the effects of the pandemic that brought challenges, and palliate themselves to confront with COVID-19 pandemic.
The flexible training programs are employed for three facets healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and the general public.
The balance between family life and work Providing clear and speedy information on the disease Recognising the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on psychological well-being; Education for the preparation of societies for pandemics and epidemics in the future
Validating of the contribution of frontline healthcare personnel.35
THE LIMITATIONS OF A STUDY:
The responses to stress and crisis and the required healthcare assistance provided varies from culture and country. Specification in the prevention and organizational measures adopted at workplace during the pandemic may not therefore give an exact picture, which will in turn lead to less precision in correlating organizational measures and level of psychological problems. The questionnaires and surveys in testing the
selected population are different from each other in investigating the same aspects. Each study considered may hide some bias and it is debateable that the sample will represent the whole working population creating the need for further review and supporting research.
Psychological issues experienced by workers during the beginning state of emergency at the COVID19 pandemic are different from those experienced at the later stages. It is clear that deliberations about workplace organization were needed more attention. Despite such
limitations, this study shows value in its attempt to connect work-related measures to the mental health states of workers and evidencing how organizational and work-related factors can contribute to psychological well-being.
CONCLUSION:
Various organizations faced workplace challenges and many saw their workforce affected by psychological health issues in the face of the global pandemic. The current study learns that to manage mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the most significant societal unit is the workplace. This means that effort to mitigate the impact of the pandemic are well targeted in this area. Responses to the pandemic condition have
seen the emergence of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicidal ideas, sleep disorders, and an increase of drug and alcohol addiction more likely to affect healthcare workers. These issues have invariably led to a high levels of job stress and placed additional strain on workers. Other related issues such as the fear of being infected, bringing the infection into the family home, discrimination, the
stigma attached to working in a high-risk environment have adversely affected the workforce. Additionally, the disturbed condition at the workplace has created a climate of job insecurity. The in-hospital working environment, repeated quarantine and isolation, work rights manipulation, ambiguity about the future, and so forth all add to a disturbed psychological wellbeing. The workers most affected are younger people and people with higher educational background. The current study has focused on the key issues through evaluating the literature analysis and highlights the importance of providing support to people most likely to be affected by psychological responses to the pandemic.
The current study also identifies specific higher-risk populations particularly those who are vulnerable to psychological disorders and who face pandemic stress through the work that they do. The actions most likely to ease the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of workers are
improvement of the infrastructures of the workplace. Strategizing and managing the adoption of the shared anti-contagion measures with accurateness is important. And particular attention is necessary when providing regular PPE supply, implementation of resilience training programs with specific training to workers in leadership roles. The study also determines that the essential public health interventions monitoring mental health in the diverse population may be different. Different approaches will also be required at the different stages; for example management at the onset of a pandemic will be different from the management as the symptoms persist, and each stage will require its’ on
management and actions. This literature study evaluates the information on the COVD-19 pandemic scene and identifies that the development of unswerving preventive approaches are essential. Well thought through strategies that provide education on resilience and information of psychological resources will reduce exhaustion levels. Such educational programs would create a safer environment for individuals to discuss their professional development, explore new strategies and perceive how to improve their capabilities to overcome the challenges caused by the COVD-19 pandemic.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
There is no conflict of interest between authors.
