Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experience of project-based employees

Summary

The research explored Australian construction employees’ experiences of teleworking (working from home) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected from project-based employees in the commercial building sector who were required to work from home on alternate weeks to reduce the number of people in project offices. Multiple waves of data were collected, resulting in 548 survey responses and more than 100 qualitative insights.

The survey data combined with participants’ qualitative descriptions of their experiences revealed significant associations between various aspects of employees’ work and life and their mental wellbeing. Participants’ experiences of working from home during the pandemic were mixed.

The findings can help construction organisations to make informed decisions that can maximise the mental wellbeing benefits associated with flexible working, while also reducing the health risks associated with teleworking during (and potentially beyond) the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Team

• Payam Pirzadeh
• Helen Lingard

Partners

• This work was proudly supported by Lendlease Building as part of a commitment to flexible working and wellbeing in the construction sector. The work was funded by RMIT Alumni and Philanthropy and the 2020 Malcolm Moore Industry Research Award.

Publications

• Research to practice report: Teleworking during the COVID pandemic (PDF)
• Journal article: Pirzadeh, P. and Lingard, H. (2021). "Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic: The health and wellbeing of project-based construction workers". Journal of construction engineering and management, 147(6), 04021048