Positive well-being during pandemics and epidemics: Understanding Canadian workers’ well-being during COVID-19 — ASN Events
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Positive well-being during pandemics and epidemics: Understanding Canadian workers’ well-being during COVID-19 (#844)

Tyler Pacheco 1 , Simon Coulombe 2 3 , Nancy L. Kocovski 1
  1. Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  2. Department of Industrial Relations, Laval University, Quebec City, Québec, Canada
  3. VITAM – Centre de recherche en santé durable, Québec, Canada

Background

Research concerning the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers’ well-being has focused on negative well-being,1,2 leaving positive well-being largely unexplored. In a scoping review, we found that only 24 of 187 retained articles that reported on worker well-being during pandemics and epidemics before October 23rd, 2020, explored positive well-being. Research is needed to fully uncover workers’ well-being during pandemics and epidemics. Can workers prosper during these times? Who is adapting well and who is not?

Aims

Determine the diverse realities Canadian workers are experiencing during COVID-19 using positive and negative well-being indicators (Study 1); and how these indicators evolve through time (Study 2).

Method

We use data from a longitudinal study in which workers reported on their experiences during COVID-19 in March 2020 (T1), April 2020 (T2), and May 2020 (T3). Study 1 used latent profile analysis3 (LPA) on data collected from T3; Study 2 used latent trajectory analysis4 (LTA) on data from T1-T3.

Results

Study 1: Multiple well-being realities were identified with workers either experiencing a prospering, suffering or mixed (mixed negative and positive well-being) reality. Diverse factors (e.g., gender, family functioning, work industry, social distancing) found at different ecological levels (self, social, work, pandemic) predicted which reality workers were experiencing. Study 2: Multiple longer-term well-being realities emerged with some workers experiencing increased prospering or suffering over time. Other workers experienced no change in their well-being over time. Diverse factors found at the previously mentioned ecological levels predicted the reality workers experience. 

Conclusion

Worker well-being during pandemics and epidemics is complex; exploring positive well-being alongside negative well-being helps fully understand well-being. These findings will inform employers’, policymakers’, and practitioners’ work in promoting worker well-being during (and after) pandemics and epidemics.

  1. 1. de Pablo, G. S., Vaquerizo-Serranoa, J., Catalana, A., Arango, C., Moreno, C., Ferre, F., Shin, J. I., Sullivan, S., Brondino, N., Solmi, M., Fusar-Poli, P. (2020). Impact of coronavirus syndromes on physical and mental health of health care workers: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 275, 48-57. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.022
  2. 2. Rajkumar, R. P. (2020). COVID-19 and mental health: A review of the existing literature. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 52, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102066
  3. 3. Morin, A. J., Boudrias, J. S., Marsh, H. W., McInerney, D. M., Dagenais-Desmarais, V., Madore, I., & Litalien, D. (2017). Complementary variable-and person-centered approaches to the dimensionality of psychometric constructs: Application to psychological wellbeing at work. Journal of Business and Psychology, 32(4), 395-419.
  4. 4. Muthén, B., & Asparouhov, T. (2011). LTA in Mplus: Transition probabilities influenced by covariates. Mplus Web Notes, 13, 1-30.
  • Please select up to 3 keywords from the following list to best describe your submission content: Career and Work, Mental Illness
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