Isometric thumb extension exercise as part of a multimodal intervention for de Quervain's syndrome: A randomised feasibility trial

Introduction: de Quervain's syndrome is a painful condition commonly presented to hand therapists. Exercise is utilised as an intervention, but isometric exercise has not been investigated. We aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of isometric thumb extension exercise for de Quervain's syndrome and to explore differences between high-load and low-load isometric exercise. Method(s): This parallel-group randomised clinical feasibility trial included individuals with de Quervain's syndrome. All participants underwent a 2 week washout period where they received an orthosis, education, and range of motion exercises. Eligible participants were then randomised to receive high or low-load isometric thumb extension exercises, performed daily for 4 weeks. Feasibility and safety were assessed by recruitment and drop-out rates, adherence, adverse events, and participant feedback via semi-structured interviews. Secondary outcomes included patient-reported outcomes for pain and function, and blinded assessment of range of motion and strength. Result(s): Twenty-eight participants were randomised. There were no drop-outs after randomisation, and no serious adverse events. Adherence to exercise was 86.7%, with 84% of participants stating they would choose to participate again. There were clinically and statistically significant improvements in pain and function over time (p < 0.001) but not in range of motion or strength. There were no statistically significant between-group differences. Conclusion(s): Isometric thumb extension exercise within a multimodal approach appears a safe and feasible intervention for people with de Quervain's syndrome. A large multi-centre trial would be required to compare high- and low-load isometric exercises. Further research investigating exercise and multimodal interventions in this population is warranted.Copyright © The Author(s) 2023.

Serological Profile of SARS-CoV-2 in Unvaccinated Blood Donors: A Nationwide Study During the Fifth Wave of the Pandemic in Iran

Background: Serological studies can demonstrate pathogen circulation in regional populations and reflect public health mea-sures' effectiveness during different pandemic phases. By late November 2021, coinciding with the third pandemic wave, the sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibodies among the Iranian population was 32.63%. Objective(s): This study aimed to assess the Iranian population's seroprevalence during the fifth pandemic wave by analyzing donated blood samples. Method(s): This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted on Iranian blood donors referred to all 31 main provincial capitals between August 2021 and September 2021. The participants selected through quota sampling were asked to complete a questionnaire on socio-demographics and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related information. Also, SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibodies were measured in serum samples using SARS-CoV-2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The seroprevalence was weighted based on the gender and age groups of the population and then adjusted for test performance. Result(s): Totally 3,339 blood donors participated in this study. The overall population-weighted seroprevalence adjusted for test performance was 52.67% (95% confidence interval (CI): 50.14-55.21). Seroprevalence was higher among participants with a high school diploma (55.45%, 95% CI 50.61-60.29), a positive history of close contact with COVID-19 patients (65.23%, 95% CI 60.83-69.63), and previous positive COVID-19 PCR tests (86.51%, 95% CI 82.32-90.7). Conclusion(s): More than half of the study population was exposed to SARS-CoV-2, indicating a 1.7-fold increase in the seroprevalence between late November 2020 and mid-September 2021. Our finding illuminated the pattern of Iran's fifth wave of the pandemic.Copyright © 2023, Author(s).

Remote Persons Are Closer Than They Appear: Home, Team and a Lockdown

Since 2020, worldwide COVID-19-related lockdowns have led to a rapid increase of remote collaboration, particularly in the domain of knowledge work. This has undoubtedly brought challenges (e.g., work-life boundary management, social isolation), but also opportunities. Practices that have proven successful (e.g., through increased task performance, efficiency or satisfaction) are worth retaining in future. In this qualitative empirical study, we analyzed four teams' (14 participants in total) mandatory remote collaboration over a period of several days to several months during a nationally imposed lockdown. We report results derived from questionnaires, logbooks, group interviews, and meeting recordings. We identify possible factors influencing quality of task outcome as well as subjective aspects like satisfaction, motivation, and team atmosphere. As a basis for our conclusions, we provide a scheme for categorizing effects of remote collaboration based on an exhaustive literature review on pandemic-induced mandatory remote work and collaboration. © 2023 Owner/Author.

Validity of the 2-Minute-Step Test Administered Virtually

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The 2-minute-step test (2MST) is a face-to-face (F2F) measure used to clinically evaluate aerobic capacity in adults. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to assess cardiovascular health in a virtual environment became evident. The 2MST is amenable to being performed in a virtual environment due to low space requirements, simple instructions, and the ability to visually count step performance through a remote visual setup. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a difference in performance on the 2MST when administered virtually compared with F2F. NUMBER OF SUBJECTS: 28 healthy adults aged 18-35 were recruited. Subjects were screened to determine eligibility and scheduled for a practice session in both test environments. Exclusion criterion included balance impairments, cardiopulmonary conditions, and pain/recent surgeries that would adversely impact stepping performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects performed the 2MST virtually via Zoom platform and F2F on two separate days within 1 week of each other in a counterbalanced order. The primary outcome measure was total number of steps with the right leg to the marked height in both testing sessions. Heart rate was measured prior to performance and immediately upon test completion on both days. Group differences were analyzed using twotailed paired t-tests. RESULT(S): 25 adults (mean age = 24.0 years, 9males, 16 females) completed both sessions. Three subjects were not able to complete both tests and were excluded from analysis. There is no significant difference in mean number of steps performed F2F (M=108.6, SD=11.5) and virtual (M=109.2, SD=15.1);t(24)= .359, p = .7227. The average of the difference in steps between F2F and the virtual environment was <1 step (0.6). Change in heart rate (bpm) was not significantly different in the second test (M=50.4, SD=24.8) compared with the first test (M=46.7, SD=23.6) suggesting similar exertion in both test environments;t(23)=1.0288, p= .3143. CONCLUSION(S): Our findings indicate 2MST performance in healthy adults aged 18-35 is not significantly different when administered via Zoom compared with F2F. This suggests the 2MST may be an effective tool, if a visual virtual option such as Zoom or Facetime, is available when assessing aerobic capacity remotely. Limitations of the study include generalizability to other age groups is currently unknown and the ability of subjects to independently set up the test remotely was not assessed. As in all virtual assessments, clinical reasoning guides which patients are appropriate to perform outcome measures safely, if skilled assistance in not available. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A valid tool to assess aerobic capacity in a virtual environment can improve patient care, improve access to physical activity interventions and improve health outcomes. Vulnerable populations, such as cancer survivors, who need virtual options for ongoing care will benefit from assessment tools that are adaptable and valid in virtual settings.

Association of Anti-N and -S Seroprevalence in Asymptom atic, Mildly Symptomatic, and Symptomatic SARS-COV-2 Natural Infection

Backgrounds: SARS-COV-2 infection is not always correlated with protection. Antibody seroprevalence in unvaccinated individuals, which is usually measured by N-specific antibodies, is not necessarily correlated with protection, while antibodies against S protein show a better correlation with protection due to its neutralizing epitopes. In this study, we tried to improve our conception of the hidden perspective of SARS-COV-2 in epidemiological reports and investigate anti-S antibody prevalence among anti-N antibody-positive asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients. Material(s) and Method(s): Blood samples were collected from asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic volunteer participants and symptomatic hospitalized patients with negative PCR results from May 30 to June 17, 2020. Detection of SARS-COV-2 antibodies was done using an ELISA kit targeting N or S protein. Finding(s): Totally, 716 samples from volunteer participants and 81 samples from symptomatic hospitalized patients with negative PCR results were evaluated. The test performance-adjusted seroprevalence (%95 CI) of SARS-COV-2 antibody was 17.3% (8.8-25.8%) for anti-N IgG in volunteers and 25.5% (12.8-39.7%) for anti-N and anti-S IgM in hospitalized patients. Among anti-N IgG positive infected individuals, %49.2 (21.4 and 78.8%) were anti-S antibody positive. Conclusion(s): The results showed that SARS-COV-2 infection sometimes occurs in individuals without symptoms or with mild symptoms, but in more than half of them, the produced antibody is not protective. The findings of hospitalized patients showed that the combination of IgM assay with real-time PCR improved the disease diagnosis by more than 25% in cases with negative molecular test results.Copyright © 2022, TMU Press.

Virtual team communication to improve employees' financial well-being and task performance

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced almost all countries in the world to implement lockdowns. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is work from home. This study examines employee preferences and organizational support directly and indirectly through virtual teamwork communication on employee task performance and Financial Well-being. This study used the descriptive qualitative method. The study involved 156 employees working in education, telecommunications, transportation and health in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sampling was carried out randomly among employees in the research department. The reliability of the research tool is above the acceptable level with Cronbach's alpha above 0.70. The data analysis used is path analysis. The results showed that employee preferences and organizational support had a direct effect on Financial Well-being and task performance. Virtual team communication can mediate influence in enhancing the relationship between employee preferences and organizational support. The research implication shows that well-functioning virtual team communication can contribute to improved work performance as well as Financial Well-being. Therefore, collaborative support is needed, both individual and organizational support. © 2022 Institute of Society Transformation. All rights reserved.

Does inclusive leadership influence task performance of hospitality industry employees? Role of psychological empowerment and trust in leader.

Drawing on the social exchange theory, this research advances the understanding of leadership and task performance in the hospitality industry in China by exploring the impact of inclusive leadership on the task performance of subordinates working in dyadic forms. The current literature is scarce on the role of leadership in increasing the task performance of employees working in teams in dyadic forms. Multi-level sample of 410 leaders-subordinates in the hospitality industry was used to derive the research findings using PLS-SEM. The results indicated a positive influence of inclusive leadership on the task performance of subordinates. Psychological empowerment mediated this direct relationship. In addition, trust in leaders strengthened the direct link of inclusive leadership with task performance and psychological empowerment. The findings demonstrate that leaders in the hospitality industry should adopt an inclusive leadership style as it contributes to employee task performance, which improves the industry's performance.

The effect of teacher presence on task performance in online classes: An exploratory study on gazing

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has caused difficulties in conducting face-to-face classes in schools;instead, conducting online classes has been encouraged. However, the effect of the teacher's screen presence on students' performance is unclear. This study (n = 60) aimed to explore whether students' gaze during the task could predict their task performance and examined the difference in students' performance when the teacher was present on the screen. Design In this study, participants were divided into three groups and completed an error search task to measure their concentration during learning. The task was performed on a PC screen, and each participant was monitored by the experimenter under different conditions. Results The results revealed that although students' attention was drawn towards the teacher's face (ps < .05), there was no difference in task performance. However, when the teacher's face was not shown and only a thumbnail was displayed, students' gaze was attracted more to that area, and their task performance decreased (r = -.446, p = .049). Conclusion It was suggested that when the teacher shows their face, and students' attention may be drawn to it. Also, when thumbnails are displayed, students would perform better on assignments if they do not focus on them. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) How to measure performance in online learning is an important research topic. (2) The possibility of predicting learning outcomes from gaze patterns has been suggested. (3) Good learners may share a common gaze pattern. What this topic adds: (1) When the teacher shows their face, the learner's gaze focuses on it. (2) However, the teacher's presence does not affect the task performance. (3) When only thumbnails were presented, the task performance decreased due to increased gazing at that area. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Smarte Inclusion - guided through complex tasks with the RehaGoal app.

The mobile application RehaGoal app is presented for people with acquired and congenital brain damage who have difficulties with complex planning tasks. The development of the RehaGoal app was based on the Goal Management Training approach, which focuses on breaking down an overarching goal into sub-goals and manageable steps to achieve them. So far, this approach has been paper-based, which makes it difficult to transfer to everyday life. Therefore, the RehaGoal app, which can be used on various digital devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, etc., was developed. Our target group often has additional limitations, which is why the RehaGoal app has a barrierfree design, voice output, visual display options, a user-dependent display, simple menu navigation and an authoring system. We illustrate the possible applications of the RehaGoal app with patients in outpatient neuropsychological rehabilitation, during vocational reintegration and during lockdown due to COVID-19.Copyright © Hippocampus Verlag 2023.

VIRTUAL TEAM COMMUNICATION TO IMPROVE TASK PERFORMANCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROCESS

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced almost all countries in the world to implement lockdowns. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is work from home. This study examines employee preferences and organizational support directly and indirectly through virtual teamwork communication on employee task performance in environmental management sector. This study used the descriptive qualitative method. The study involved 156 employees working in environmental management sector, education, telecommunications, and transportation in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sampling was carried out randomly among employees in the research department. The reliability of the research tool is above the acceptable level with Cronbach's Alpha above 0.70. The data analysis used is path analysis. The results showed that employee preferences and organizational support had a direct effect on task performance in environmental management sector. Virtual team communication can mediate influence in enhancing the relationship between employee preferences and organizational support. The research implication shows that well-functioning virtual team communication can contribute to improved work performance in environmental management sector. Therefore, collaborative support is needed, both individual and organizational support. © 2022, Procedia Environmental Science, Engineering and Management. All Rights Reserved.

Do you know your partner's personality through virtual collaboration or negotiation? Investigating perceptions of personality and their impacts on performance

Interpersonal skills, including collaborative problem solving (CPS) and negotiation skills, are essential in many aspects of the 21st century. With the rapid development of technologies in the past decades, it has become increasingly prevalent for collaborations, negotiations, and communications to occur virtually. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift from in-person interactions to virtual interactions. On the other hand, personality traits, enduring characteristics of individuals that are largely stable over time, affect a wide variety of human behaviors, including how people interact with each other. In this study, we investigated the extent to which team members' personalities, the heterogeneity in personalities among team members, and the interaction processes in virtual tasks impacted performance on these tasks with limited exposure to personal information such as appearance and voice. In addition, we examined how one perceived the team partner's personality and how people tended to project their own personality onto partners during the short-term virtual interactions. Findings suggested that higher heterogeneity in personality between partners was associated with better team negotiation performance, while it was not associated with collaboration outcomes in the CPS task. Implications of the findings and limitations of this research were also discussed. • We study how team members' personalities and the interaction processes impact performance on virtual tasks. • Relationships between personality, interaction processes, and performance differ in collaboration and negotiation contexts. • People tend to project their own personality traits onto their online partners during short-term virtual interactions. • Teams that are more heterogeneous in personality show better negotiation outcomes. [ FROM AUTHOR]

Effective employee strategies for remote working: An online self-training intervention

This paper examines whether employees' strategies to recognize (through self-recognition) and regulate (through job crafting, work-family management, and recovery) their internal and external demands and resources help them retain their well-being and performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examines whether an online self-training intervention can stimulate the use of these strategies. A randomized control trial with a waitlist control group and pre-post measure (N intervention group = 62, N control group = 77) was executed, consisting of four modules with videos, exercises, and three assignments. Participants of the intervention group reported improved self-recognition (noticing, self-focused emotional intelligence), job crafting (seeking resources and challenges), recovery (psychological detachment and relaxation), and reduced work-family conflict. Moreover, the intervention group reported reduced fatigue and increased happiness with life and task performance after the intervention. Improvements in self-focused emotional intelligence, relaxation, and reduced work-family conflict could explain the progress of these distal outcomes. This study reveals the strategies that can help employees to maintain high levels of well-being and performance while working from home and how to improve them using an evidence-based self-training intervention.

Employees' Post Lockdown Perspectives on Communication in Telework

The Covid-19 outbreak forced organisations to shift from face-to-face work to telecommuting in a very short time. The employers and employees had to quickly to perform tasks at least like before lockdown. Therefore, the focus of this study was to examine the main determinants of employees' perceived communication and telework satisfaction. The data was gathered from employees of different companies. The quantitative approach was implemented to analyse the subject. The findings show a constructive influence of the support offered by employers to employees who have to adopt digital communication. The adaptation of mediated communication impacts the teleworkers' tasks performance in terms of collaborative activities implicating colleagues and supervisors. The teleworkers' job performance is positively affecting employees' perception of satisfactory digital communication. The family conflicts during telecommuting are not difficult to manage, thus telework is appropriate and digital communication favourable. The teleworkers work-life balance is predicted by the perceived satisfaction with the mediated communication experience through the communication channels used. The findings also emphasize the respondents' preference for future teleworking. This study findings serve further research and employers' approach of communication with and between teleworkers.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION, WORK ENJOYMENT, AND TASK PERFORMANCE: A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN VIETNAM

This study aimed to examine the impact of health workers' public service motivation during their participation in response to the Covid-19 pandemic at a time of the highest number of infections and deaths in Vietnam. This study was conducted through a cross-sectional survey using an intentional sampling technique (n=200). In addition, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied to illustrate the proposed hypotheses. We found that compassion in the workplace, self-sacrifice, and attraction to policy-making impacted work enjoyment positively and significantly. In particular, there was a positive and significant relationship between work enjoyment and task performance but no evidence of the relationship between Commitment to the public interest and work enjoyment. This study further demonstrates the importance of public service motivation of health workers in pandemic response, as previous studies have found. This finding suggests that the government and policymakers in Vietnam should develop policies to promote health workers' public service motivation during their engagement in response to the health crisis.

Investigating the effect of wearing masks on office work in indoor environments during a pandemic using physiological sensing

The spread of pandemics has adverse effects on the lives of people in various ways. For people who need to work in the office and other indoor environments, wearing a mask has become an essential precaution to reduce the spread of the virus and thereby the risk of disease transmission. Therefore, it is important to understand how wearing a mask will affect people while they are performing daily office work. This paper aims to investigate the effect of wearing a mask on the physiological responses and task performance of those who work in office environments during the pandemic period. The two most commonly used masks (i.e., cloth and surgical masks) are chosen for evaluation. The work engagement, mental workload, skin conductance level (SCL), heart rate (HR), as well as the overall performance of 20 subjects while they are completing simulated office tasks are collected and analyzed. Although the results vary across different individuals, they reveal that wearing a mask during a pandemic period will potentially reduce the mental workload and SCL of people for specific types of tasks. In addition, the task performance (correct number and correct rate) of the subjects is worse when wearing a mask, which is highly correlated to the results of the mental workload and SCL. However, there is no one-size-fits-all pattern to conclude the effect of wearing masks on work engagement and HR. This study provides a valuable reference for those who need to wear a mask while working. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Human Factors Validation of the Tablo Hemodialysis System With Health Care Practitioners

Background: Hemodialysis is a lifesaving treatment warranting extensive training to perform safely and effectively in different use environments. Shortages in nurse staffing due to the COVID 19 pandemic caused a desire to innovate systems that can be safely and effectively used by healthcare professionals (HCPs). The Tablo Hemodialysis System ("Tablo") is easy-to-learn, indicated for clinic, hospital, and home settings. Features include a simplified user interface, interactive touchscreen GUI coupled with videos to assist users. Prior usability testing of Tablo had a use error rate of 1.5%. Here we report on the results of simulated use human factors validation testing on recent software version of the Tablo Hemodialysis System ("Tablo") with HCPs in the clinic setting. Method(s): HCPs tested the Tablo in a simulated clinic environment to validate safety and usability. HCPs underwent training on all aspects of device operation;including setup, takedown, monitoring, routine maintenance, and alarm resolution. After a decay of at least one hour, HCPs performed tasks without the trainer. Task performance to use errors, close calls, and difficulties were recorded along with interview data. Result(s): Fifteen (15) HCPs were recruited, consisting of 9 RNs with prior HD experience and 6 dialysis technicians. A total of 7365 tasks were performed, with the use error rate across all tasks less than <1%, with most use errors related to Manual Blood Return. 100% of HCPs reported that they felt they could use Tablo safely and effectively. Summary of user task assessments shown in Figure 1. Conclusion(s): After standard 3-hour training, HCPs were able to safely and effectively operate Tablo in a simulated use clinic setting. HF testing of this more recent software shows further reduction in Tablo's already low use error rate. This supports prior data regarding the ability of HCPs to easily learn and use Tablo and the device's ability to facilitate expansion of available dialysis nursing staff while increasing the quality and safety of dialysis treatments across the care continuum. (Table Presented).

How do remote workers perform during COVID-19 lockdowns? Examining professional isolation, cynicism and psychological hardiness

Purpose With the spread of COVID-19, governments have initiated lockdown procedures and forced organizations to switch to remote working. Employees working remotely in isolated and confined situations are experiencing great stress and uncertainty. This study aims to investigate how remote workers perform during lockdowns. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on social information processing theory, this study developed and tested hypotheses linking professional isolation, cynicism and task performance. This study was comprised of 497 remote workers in the financial industry in China. Findings The findings revealed that professional isolation is positively related to cynicism, and cynicism is negatively related to task performance. Cynicism mediates the relationship between professional isolation and task performance. The results indicated that psychological hardiness moderated the mediation effect of professional isolation on task performance through cynicism. Practical implications This research offers implications for managers and practitioners on reducing employees' feeling of isolation through effective communication, collaboration and support via online platforms and preventing and reducing cynicism by introducing clear organizational policy and practice to balance job demands and job resources. Meanwhile, managers can develop commitment, control and challenge components of employees' psychological hardiness to enhance job performance. Originality/value This study extends the remote working literature in a crisis situation and fills the gap in the cynicism literature by understanding the role played by cynicism for remote workers. The current study also adds to the literature by highlighting the importance of psychological hardiness for remote workers during the pandemic.

Impact of less social connectedness and fear of COVID-19 test on employees task performance: A multi-mediation model.

The core objective of this study is to examine the impact of less social connectedness and testing fear on employee health. This study also investigates the mediating role of psychological strain between the relationship of less social connectedness, testing fear and employee health. Furthermore, this study also assesses the impact of employee health on employee performance. The study's target audience consisted of employees in the electronics industry in China. The convenience sample method was used in this study to collect data from respondents. Data analysis of this study was performed by using the structural equation modeling technique. The statistical software used for data analysis is Smart PLS 3. The results of this study show that less COVID-19 testing fear has a negatively significant impact on employee health, but less social connectedness has not significant direct impact on employee health. Furthermore, psychological strain was discovered to mediate the relationship between less social connectedness and employee health and testing fear and employee health. In addition, this impact of employee health on employee performance was found significant. This study provides theoretical and practical implications. In the context of practical implications, this study provides valuable insights for the organizational management to develop a healthy and positive working environment and adopt healthy behavior among their employees which ultimately foster their job performance.

[An Analysis of Tasks of Nurses Caring for Patients with COVID-19 in a Nationally-Designated Inpatient Treatment Unit].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide foundational knowledge on nursing tasks performed on patients with COVID-19 in a nationally-designated inpatient treatment unit. METHODS: This study employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative method investigated the content and frequency of nursing tasks for 460 patients (age ≥ 18 y, 57.4% men) from January 20, 2020, to September 30, 2021, by analyzing hospital information system records. Qualitative data were collected via focus group interviews. The study involved interviews with three focus groups comprising 18 nurses overall to assess their experiences and perspectives on nursing care during the pandemic from February 3, 2022, to February 15, 2022. The data were examined with thematic analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 49 different areas of nursing tasks (n = 130,687) were identified based on the Korean Patient Classification System for nurses during the study period. Among the performed tasks, monitoring of oxygen saturation and measuring of vital signs were considered high-priority. From the focus group interview, three main themes and eleven sub-themes were generated. The three main themes are "Experiencing eventfulness in isolated settings," "All-around player," and "Reflections for solutions." CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to ensure adequate staffing levels, compensation, and educational support for nurses. The study further propose improving guidelines for emerging infectious diseases and patient classification systems to improve the overall quality of patient care.

Control and motivation in task performance of public servants at home office in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose - The purpose of the article is to analyze the influence of output control, autonomous motivation and controlled motivation on task performance of public servants at home office owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was conducted based on the perception of 236 public servants, and structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was used for data analysis. Findings - Both autonomous motivation and output control are positively and significantly related to task performance. Research limitations/implications - The present study expands the literature with information about individual performance and management control, which can be related to the control, motivation and task performance of public servants at home office in a pandemic context. Practical implications - The results could offer a basis for understanding how managers can deal with the challenges while at home office. They can also provide managers with information that they can use to build management strategies to foster the performance of public servants at home office. Social implications - Home office can decrease commuting to a central workplace, alleviate traffic problems and reduce car pollution. It also allows for business continuity in the face of storms and pandemics. Originality/value - Most studies about home office, COVID-19 and task performance have addressed personal, professional and organizational characteristics. However, little is known about the analysis of combinations of the following constructs: output control, autonomous and controlled motivations, and how both affect task performance of public servants.