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Working from Home: Is Our Housing Ready?

Author

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  • Teresa Cuerdo-Vilches

    (Instituto de Ciencias de la Construcción Eduardo Torroja, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IETcc-CSIC), 28033 Madrid, Spain)

  • Miguel Ángel Navas-Martín

    (Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain)

  • Ignacio Oteiza

    (Instituto de Ciencias de la Construcción Eduardo Torroja, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IETcc-CSIC), 28033 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the precautionary measures applied globally (lockdowns and curfews) have impacted homes, including work. Working from home (WFH) has emerged as a growing trend in the post-pandemic era. The research question was: Are our homes ready for teleworking? To respond, a national prospective mixed approach was launched for Spanish households during the spring 2020 lockdown, using two online questionnaires, one quantitative and the other qualitative. Through a survey, photographs, and narratives, the study evaluates the perceived adequacy of telework spaces and their specific characteristics, the availability of digital resources and the internet. A total of 1800 surveys and over 200 images and texts related to telework environments were obtained. The results suggest that the adequacy of these spaces was insufficient for more than a quarter of the homes. Also, strong relations between the perceived workspace adequacy and a social status or stability of homes were shown and validated, despite other sociodemographic features, the home composition or habitat were not related. Some other variables statistically significant were occupation regime, type and surface of dwellings; their indoor environmental quality; the availability of exclusive spaces for teleworking; quality of digital resources; and the specific space features. The analysis was completed with qualitative insights through photos and texts. Telework, lived in this context as an experiment, needs this reflection from an environmental, resource-availability, and ergonomic point of view.

Suggested Citation

  • Teresa Cuerdo-Vilches & Miguel Ángel Navas-Martín & Ignacio Oteiza, 2021. "Working from Home: Is Our Housing Ready?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-28, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:14:p:7329-:d:590925
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Tiago F. A. C. Sigahi & Paul H. P. Yeow & Andrew Thatcher, 2023. "Advancing Sustainability in the Future of Work through the Design of Post-Pandemic Work-from-Home Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-21, October.
    6. Miguel Ángel Navas-Martín & José Antonio López-Bueno & Ignacio Oteiza & Teresa Cuerdo-Vilches, 2021. "Routines, Time Dedication and Habit Changes in Spanish Homes during the COVID-19 Lockdown. A Large Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-16, November.
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