Loneliness and social support as key contributors to burnout among Canadians workers in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 has dramatically affected Western Society's relationship with work and contributed to increased worker burnout. Existing studies on burnout have mostly emphasized workplace culture, leadership, and employee engagement as key contributors to burnout. In this cross-sectional study, we examine the associations between Malach-Pines Short Burnout Measure (MPSBM) scores and participant's self reported personal characteristics, financial strain, workplace conditions, work-life balance, and social inclusion among Canadians living during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: To identify the most salient correlates of burnout, Canadian residents, aged 16+, were recruited using paid social media advertisements in French and English to complete a cross-sectional study. Multivariable linear regression and dominance analysis identified the most salient correlates of MPSBM scores. Exposure variables included demographic factors, financial strain, workplace conditions, work-life balance, social support, and loneliness. RESULTS: Among 486 participants, family social support (adjusted ß = -0.14, 95%CI = -0.23, -0.05), emotional loneliness (adjusted ß = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.18, 0.35), insufficient sleep (adjusted ß = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.60) and "me time" (adjusted ß = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.42), and indicators of financial security (e.g., owning vs renting; adjusted ß = -0.36, 95% CI = -0.54, -0.17; insufficient pay: adjusted ß = -0.36, 95% CI = -0.54, -0.17) were key burnout indicators. People with a bachelor's degree (vs ≤high school diploma; adjusted ß = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.58) also had higher burnout scores. CONCLUSION: Interventions addressing workplace culture, leadership, and other proximal workplace stressors, while important, are likely insufficient to meet the needs of workers. Our findings suggest that broader, holistic multicomponent approaches that address multiple upstream dimensions of health-including mental health-are likely necessary to prevent and reduce burnout.

The Impact of Working from Home on Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Canadian Worker's Mental Health during the Third Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a considerable expansion in the way work settings are structured, with a continuum emerging between working fully in-person and from home. The pandemic has also exacerbated many risk factors for poor mental health in the workplace, especially in public-facing jobs. Therefore, we sought to test the potential relationship between work setting and self-rated mental health. To do so, we modeled the association of work setting (only working from home, only in-person, hybrid) on self-rated mental health (Excellent/Very Good/Good vs. Fair/Poor) in an online survey of Canadian workers during the third wave of COVID-19. The mediating effects of vaccination, masking, and distancing were explored due to the potential effect of COVID-19-related stress on mental health among those working in-person. Among 1576 workers, most reported hybrid work (77.2%). Most also reported good self-rated mental health (80.7%). Exclusive work from home (aOR: 2.79, 95%CI: 1.90, 4.07) and exclusive in-person work (aOR: 2.79, 95%CI: 1.83, 4.26) were associated with poorer self-rated mental health than hybrid work. Vaccine status mediated only a small proportion of this relationship (7%), while masking and physical distancing were not mediators. We conclude that hybrid work arrangements were associated with positive self-rated mental health. Compliance with vaccination, masking, and distancing recommendations did not meaningfully mediate this relationship.