Working From Home, Work-Life Balance, and Depression/Anxiety Among Korean Workers in the COVID-19 Pandemic Period: A Mediation Analysis

J Occup Environ Med. 2023 Feb 1;65(2):98-103. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002726. Epub 2022 Oct 11.

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between working from home (WFH), depression/anxiety, and work-family conflict (WFC) among Korean workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We surveyed a total of 1074 workers online. Depression and anxiety were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Mediating effects of WFC on the relationship between WFH and depression/anxiety were examined.

Results: The WFH group had higher depression and anxiety scores than the daily commuting group. As WFC increased, the CES-D and BAI scores also increased. A possible mediating effect of WFC on the relationship between WFH and high CES-D and BAI scores was found.

Conclusion: We observed a significant difference in depression/anxiety between WFH and daily commute workers, which was mediated by WFC, especially for young, child-growing, and precarious workers.

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Mediation Analysis
  • Pandemics
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • Work-Life Balance