Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Work and Private Life, Mental Well-Being and Self-Rated Health in German and Swiss Employees: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract Background: The COVID-19 crisis has radically changed the way people live and work. While most studies have focused on prevailing negative consequences, potential positive shifts in everyday life have received less attention. Thus, we examined the actual and perceived overall impact of the COVID-19 crisis on work and private life, and the consequences for mental well-being (MWB), and self-rated health (SRH) in German and Swiss employees.Methods: Cross-sectional data from 2,118 German and Swiss employees (18–65 years) were collected. Using logistic regression, we analyzed how sociodemographic factors and the actual changes in work and private life routines were associated with participants’ perceived overall impact of the COVID-19 crisis on work and private life. Moreover, we explored how the perceived impact and the actual changes were associated with MWB and SRH.Results: About 30% of employees reported that their work and private life had worsened, whereas about 11% reported improvements in work and 14% in private life as a result of the crisis. Mandatory short-time work was strongly associated with perceived negative impact on work life, while work from home, particularly if experienced for the first time, was strongly associated with a perceived positive impact on work life. Concerning private life, younger age, living alone, reduction in leisure time, and changes in quantity of caring duties were strongly associated with perceived negative impact on private life. In contrast, living with a partner or family, short-time work, and increases in leisure time and caring duties were associated with perceived positive impact on private life. Perceived negative impact of the crisis on work and private life was associated with lower MWB and SRH. Moreover, perceived positive impact on private life was associated with higher MWB. Finally, mandatory short-time work was negatively associated with MWB and SRH, and an increase in leisure time was positively associated with MWB and SRH.Conclusion: The results of this study show the differential impact of the COVID-19 crisis on people’s work and private life as well as the consequences for MWB and SRH. This may inform target groups and situation-specific interventions to ameliorate the crisis.