Availability of workplace policy for prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 and its relationship with personal protection behaviours: A survey of employees
Abstract Background: The evolving pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a severe threat to public health, and the workplace presents high risks in terms of spreading the disease. Few studies have focused on the impact of workplace policy on individual behaviours. This study aimed to examine the relationship of workplace guidelines and measures with employees’ behaviours regarding COVID-19 prevention. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using an online questionnaire was conducted to gather employees’ access to workplace guidelines and measures as well as their personal protection behaviours. Statistical associations between these two factors in different occupations were examined using multiple ordinal logistic regressions. Results: A total of 1048 valid questionnaires across five occupational groups were analysed. Manual labourers reported lower availability of workplace guidelines and measures (76.9% vs. 89.9% for all, P = 0.003). Employees with available workplace guidelines and measures performed personal protection behaviours with higher frequency, and this association was more significant among managers/administrators and manual labourers. Conclusions: Awareness about the disease and pandemic among employers and administrators should be promoted, and resources should be allocated to publish guidelines and implement measures in the workplace. Manual labourers may require specific attention regarding accessibility of relevant information, given their poorer experience of workplace policy and their work nature. Governments should guide the establishment of appropriate policies and responses at the workplace level. Further studies are needed to test the effectiveness of specific workplace policies on COVID-19 prevention.