Return to work after Post-COVID: describing affected employees' perceptions of personal resources, organizational offerings and care pathways

Abstract

BackgroundMost individuals recover from the acute phase of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, however, some encounter prolonged effects, referred to as the Post-COVID syndrome. Evidence exists that such persistent symptoms can significantly impact patients' ability to return to work. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of different care pathways and resources, both personal and external, that aim to support Post-COVID patients during their work-life reintegration process. By describing the current situation of Post-COVID patients pertaining their transition back to the workplace, this paper provides valuable insights into their needs.MethodsA quantitative research design was applied using an online questionnaire as an instrument. Participants were recruited via Post-COVID outpatients, rehab facilities, general practitioners, support groups, and other healthcare facilities.ResultsThe analyses of 184 data sets of Post-COVID affected produced three key findings: (1) The evaluation of different types of personal resources that may lead to a successful return to work found that particularly the individuals' ability to cope with their situation (measured with the FERUS questionnaire), produced significant differences between participants that had returned to work and those that had not been able to return so far (F = 4.913, p = 0.001). (2) In terms of organizational provisions to facilitate successful reintegration into work-life, predominantly structural changes (i.e., modification of the workplace, working hours, and task) were rated as helpful or very helpful on average (meanworkplace 2.55/SD = 0.83, meanworking hours 2.44/SD = 0.80; meantasks 2.55/SD = 0.83), while the remaining offerings (i.e., job coaching or health courses) were rated as less helpful or not helpful at all. (3) No significant correlation was found between different care pathways and a successful return to work.ConclusionThe results of the in-depth descriptive analysis allows to suggests that the level of ability to cope with the Post-COVID syndrome and its associated complaints, as well as the structural adaptation of the workplace to meet the needs and demands of patients better, might be important determinants of a successful return. While the latter might be addressed by employers directly, it might be helpful to integrate training on coping behavior early in care pathways and treatment plans for Post-COVID patients to strengthen their coping abilities aiming to support their successful return to work at an early stage.