TABLE 4.

The proposed countermeasures for enhancing health and minimizing adverse health effects in the reporting of health impact assessments of teleworkers, non‐teleworkers, and family members of teleworkers

1. Teleworkers

Work

There are concerns about lost productivity resulting from poor communication.

Clarify individual job descriptions and the assignment of tasks.

It is important to have short, regular meetings at the beginning and end of the work day to identify and share work‐related concerns.

The chat functions of apps should be used to facilitate communication.

Changes in working hours and a lack of breaks are likely to occur.

Manage working hours objectively (eg, report start and end times and introduce tools to manage working hours).

Consider introducing a flextime or a deemed work hour system so that employees have the flexibility to change their scheduled work hours to accommodate their personal work, such as childcare or nursing care responsibilities.

A short time spent away from work is acceptable. It should be borne in mind that a normal work schedule also includes adequate rest.

All of the personnel in the workplace should be informed that they should refrain from asking colleagues to handle work during breaks or outside of office hours.

There are concerns about the stress induced by the introduction of a new system and the associated changes.

Create a simple manual on how to operate the system and distribute the instructions to the staff.

There are concerns that it will be difficult for supervisors to manage their subordinates.

Check in and talk to your employees more frequently than you previously did. Some companies have held more one‐on‐one meetings than usual to help employees stay motivated and to encourage them to take care of their physical and mental health.

Shoulder and back pain associated with telework is a concern.

Distribute checklists on appropriate features of office environments and educate employees on the correct working environment and when to take breaks.

Some companies provide desks and chairs for those wishing to take a break.

IT security and the risk of information leakage is a concern.

There is a concern that productivity may decline as a result of a deteriorating Internet environment and its effect on communication.

Monitor and support workers' Internet environments.

There are concerns about a reduction in work productivity (presenteeism) caused by health problems.

Changing the way we work is expected to improve the company's efficiency.

It is important to consider how to improve the efficiency of an entire department and not just that of an individual.

Best practices regarding business efficiency should be compiled within each department and shared with other departments.

There could be changes in meeting times.

Clarify the agenda and keep it as simple as possible.

Set rules for meeting times and durations based on the meeting size. Set a timer for presentations and discussions or have a supervisor take the lead in adjourning the meeting.

Lifestyle

A decrease in physical activity is a concern.

Educate people about the importance of exercising at home.

There is a lot of information on home‐based exercise available on the Internet.

Some companies have their staff perform exercises together listening to radio shows during video conferences held in the morning or evening.

Encourage workers to exercise in a way that avoids the “3Cs” (closed spaces, crowded places, and close‐contact settings). When exercising outside, people are encouraged to maintain as much distance from each other as possible. Studies recommend maintaining a distance of about 10 meters for jogging and about 5 meters for walking.

Lifestyle changes (eg, diet, drinking, and smoking) are anticipated.

Educate people to follow a well‐balanced diet rather than eating only prepared and instant foods to maintain their immunity against COVID‐19.

When drinking alcohol, set a time for drinking and the quantity of alcohol that will be consumed in advance and record them using an app or other means. This practice will make individuals aware of how much they are drinking and encourage them to reduce the amount that they drink.

WHO has suggested that smokers may be at a higher risk of contracting COVID‐19 and becoming seriously ill. Communicate strongly the need to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked and to quit smoking, and consider restricting the use of smoking rooms as a “3C” measure.

A change in life routines is to be expected.

Encourage workers to establish a structured routine by setting regular rising, bedtime, and meal times.

Scheduling online meetings in the mornings and evenings at fixed times and introducing a daily life record sheet are also effective practices.

Reducing commuting time and the stress of the commute are anticipated.

Disease and medical care

It is expected that the ease of access to medical care and disease control practices will change.

Educate people to continue to see their doctors on a regular basis so that they do not, on their own, discontinue hospital visits, and taking their medication. Online treatment may be available in some cases.

It is expected that the risk as well as the fear of infection will be reduced.

Home and community

A change in inter‐family relationships is to be expected.

2. Non‐teleworkers

Work

Frustration or anxiety about not being eligible for telework is a concern.

If you have specific complaints or concerns, please consult us about environmental improvements and consider implementing individual improvement measures.

There are concerns about lost productivity resulting from poor communication.

Implement infection control measures, but be proactive about communicating with each other.

There may be changes in the workload.

Prioritize your work.

There could be changes in meeting times.

Be clear about the agenda of meetings, and be punctual about wrapping them up. By carefully selecting participants, you can reduce the burden on them.

Stress from changes, such as the introduction of new IT systems, is a concern

Disease and medical care

Office workers have a higher risk of getting infected with COVID‐19 compared with teleworkers.

Workers who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID‐19 require attention.

The attention required by each worker will vary according to their health status. First of all, a policy for dealing with workers who are likely to become seriously ill should be established and disseminated.

There is increased concern about the high risk of contracting COVID‐19.

In addition to the fear of becoming infected, workers are also afraid that they may infect their families. It is important to listen to the workers expressing anxiety and to consider whether it is possible to accommodate some of their concerns.

Home and community

There is heightened fear among employees about infecting their families.

We recommend that you talk to them several times about their concerns. Please consider addressing some of their concerns at the workplace according to their situation and their own and their families’ wishes.

3. Family members of teleworkers

Lifestyle

There may be an increase in the burden of household chores.

Divide up household chores and try to work together within the family to get them done.

It is also useful to avail of housekeeping services, such as cleaning, laundry, and cooking.

Increased alcohol consumption is a concern.

Decide in advance what time you will drink alcohol and the amount of alcohol you will consume, and try to maintain appropriate drinking habits within your family.

An increase in passive smoking is a concern.

The most effective way of persuading people to quit smoking is to emphasize that doing so will benefit the health of their family members.

Home and community

Increased stressors result from the inability to go out.

Find stress‐relieving activities that your family can do at home, such as stretching, and watching movies.

Decreased community involvement is a concern.

It is also useful to create opportunities for people to get in touch with others and to connect with the wider society through phone calls, emails, and so forth.

Disease and medical care

The risk of COVID‐19 infection is reduced, with a concomitant reduction in anxiety about becoming infected.