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IJERPH
Special Issues
Work–Life Policies, Employee Health and Well-Being
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Work–Life Policies, Employee Health and Well-Being

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 2551

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Allison Williams

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Science, School of Geography & Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
Interests: employee health; carer-workers; well-being; carer-friendly workplaces; partnership research; unpaid care work; care economy
Prof. Dr. Bharati Sethi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Political Studies, Champlain College, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
Interests: employee health; well-being; arts-based; immigration; refugees; participatory; policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue addresses a critical aspect of the care economy, exploring the role of workplace policies and programs on the emotional/mental health and physical well-being of employees. Particular attention will be given to carer-employees (CEs), defined as individuals who work in paid employment and provide unpaid care to adults with an age-related need, long-term illness, and/or physical/mental condition. The number of CEs in Canada and worldwide increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many CEs, the COVID-19 pandemic added additional economic, psychological and physical risks due to the intersecting inequities based on socioeconomic status, race, immigration status, geographic location, and sexual orientation, among other factors. There is a need to reassess our understanding of employment policies and programs to ensure that post-recovery employment structures are equitable, allowing CEs to sustain their health and wellbeing and ideally thrive in the post-pandemic future.

Prof. Dr. Allison Williams
Prof. Dr. Bharati Sethi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at mdpi.longhoe.net by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carer-employees
  • care economy
  • unpaid care work
  • carer-friendly workplace policies/ programs

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 492 KiB  
Article
Transitioning to Working from Home Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Significantly Increased Sedentary Behavior and Decreased Physical Activity: A Meta-Analysis
by Nicole Chaudhary, Megan Jones, Sean P. M. Rice, Laura Zeigen and Saurabh Suhas Thosar
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(7), 851; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070851 (registering DOI) - 28 Jun 2024
Viewed by 503
Abstract
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces transitioned to remote work, which altered lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a meta-analysis to understand if the transition to working from home due to the pandemic affected workers’ physical activity and sedentary behavior worldwide. We [...] Read more.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces transitioned to remote work, which altered lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a meta-analysis to understand if the transition to working from home due to the pandemic affected workers’ physical activity and sedentary behavior worldwide. We reviewed articles published between November 2019 and May 2022. Of an initial 3485 articles, a total of 17 were included, 15 of 17 were included for their physical activity (PA) comparisons (n = 36,650), and 12 of 17 (n = 57,254) were included for their sedentary behavior (SB) comparisons (10 studies have data for both PA and SB). This work is registered through PROSPERO (CRD42022356000). Working from home resulted in a significant decrease in PA (Hedge’s g = −0.29, 95% CI [−0.41, −0.18]) and an increase in SB (Hedge’s g = +0.36, 95% CI [0.20, 0.52]). Working from home impaired preventative activity behaviors, and these results are relevant to worker health as the future of work evolves beyond the pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Work–Life Policies, Employee Health and Well-Being)
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19 pages, 411 KiB  
Article
Commonalities and Differences in the Experiences of Visible Minority Transnational Carer–Employees: A Qualitative Study
by Reemal Shahbaz, Allison Williams, Bharati Sethi and Olive Wahoush
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(18), 6800; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186800 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1372
Abstract
This qualitative study explored the commonalities and differences among the experiences of visible minority Transnational Carer–Employees (TCEs) before and after COVID-19. TCEs are immigrants who live and work in the country of settlement while providing caregiving across international borders. Purposive and snowball sampling [...] Read more.
This qualitative study explored the commonalities and differences among the experiences of visible minority Transnational Carer–Employees (TCEs) before and after COVID-19. TCEs are immigrants who live and work in the country of settlement while providing caregiving across international borders. Purposive and snowball sampling resulted in the participation of 29 TCEs of Pakistani, Syrian, African, and South American origin living in London, Ontario. Thematic analysis of the dataset using the ATLAS.ti software, Version 23.2.1., generated three themes: (1) feelings associated with transnational care; (2) employment experiences of TCEs; and (3) co** strategies for well-being. The results of the secondary analysis conducted herein suggested that there are more similarities than differences across the four cohorts. Many participants felt a sense of satisfaction at being able to fulfill their care obligations; however, a different outlook was observed among some Syrian and African origin respondents, who disclosed that managing care and work is overwhelming. Most TCEs also reported facing limited job options because of language barriers. While various interviewees experienced a lack of paid work and reduced income after COVID-19, a distinct perspective was noted from African descent TCEs as they expressed facing increased work demands after the pandemic. Participants additionally revealed four common co** strategies such as kee** busy, praying, family support, and staying active. Study implications include the promotion of Carer-Friendly Workplace Policies (CFWPs) that can facilitate the welfare of unpaid caregivers. This research is important as it may inform policymakers to create opportunities that may not only foster economic stability of TCEs and the Canadian economy, but also contribute towards a more equitable society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Work–Life Policies, Employee Health and Well-Being)
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