Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Mar 23, 2021
Date Accepted: May 28, 2021
Date Submitted to PubMed: May 28, 2021
Professional Social Media Usage and Work Engagement: A Four-Wave Follow-Up Study of Finnish Professionals Before and During the COVID-19 Outbreak
ABSTRACT
Background:
COVID-19 pandemic has changed work life profoundly and concerns of employees’ mental well-being have risen. Organizations have taken rapid digital leaps and started to use new collaborative tools such as social media platforms overnight.
Objective:
Our study investigated how professional social media usage has affected work engagement before and during the COVID-19 and the role of perceived social support, task resources and psychological distress as predictors and moderators of work engagement.
Methods:
Nationally representative longitudinal survey data were collected in 2019–2020, and 965 respondents participated to all four surveys. Measures included work engagement (UWES-9), perceived social support and task resources (COPSOQ II) and psychological distress (GHQ-12). The data was analyzed using hybrid linear regression modeling.
Results:
Work engagement remained stable and only decreased in autumn 2020. Within-person changes in social media communication at work, social support, task resources, and psychological distress were all associated with work engagement. The negative association between psychological distress and work engagement was stronger in autumn 2020 than before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Conclusions:
COVID-19 puts pressure on mental health at work. Fostering social support and task resources at work are important in maintaining work engagement. Social media communication could help in sustaining supportive work environment. Clinical Trial: Not applicable
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