The fear of Contracting the Coronavirus remains with the workers in Germany during the second shutdown remains high: In January, the fear, at work or on the way there, with the Coronavirus to infect expressed more than one in three respondents Employees (35 percent). The fear, despite the escalation of the Corona measures low, as a survey of the portal Lohnspiegel.de revealed, which is overseen by the economic and Social research Institute (WSI) of the trade Union middle Hans – Böckler-Foundation.
The data is based on a continuous Online survey among a total of about 34,000 workers in Germany, carried out in April 2020 continuously. The survey is not representative, but due to the high case, with detailed insight into the working conditions in Germany.
Particularly, the concern is widespread, therefore, in front of a contagion in the case of workers that have in their profession, regularly in close contact with other people and, in a diligent work protection are exposed. Thus, since the beginning of the second shutdown at 2. February 2020, more than half of the respondents in the areas of education and social policy (57 percent) and the medical health given occupations (52 percent), to have a work-related contagion Concerns. The Sales workers (47 percent), as well as the non-medical health professionals (46 percent), such as geriatric nurses and geriatric nurses to follow.
Labor protection measures are not sufficient everywhere
But also in professional fields, with less risk, according to the survey, many employees who have a fear of contagion. For this purpose, Employed in production, and manufacturing (31 per cent), information and communications technology (28 percent), and in the classic office activities in the field of business management and organization (29 percent).
“A key factor for the Concerns of the employees Elke Ahlers, an expert on work and health at the WSI says is, how far-reaching the Corona labor protection measures, and the consistency with which they are implemented in everyday work”,. “Many employers have been quick and model to react to the new location – but unfortunately, this is not yet the case everywhere.”
A majority of respondents (54 percent), attested since the beginning of the second lock downs, although your employer to have adequate operational measures implemented. One in three Respondents (33 percent) saw this but only with limitations like that, one in eight (12.5 percent) missing sufficient action on the part of the employer. “This leads the employees to understand way to frustration and can damage the relationship of trust in the operation permanently,” says Ahlers.
Strong mental stress,
Many farms were too one-sided on behavioural measures in the case of employees, without even the work processes and the organization of work in the conditions of the Corona-adjust pandemic. So many employers are limited according to the WSI of their employees, compliance with hygiene rules, the obligation to wear a Mask or keep your Distance to reiterate – do not fit the performance requirements of the changed circumstances that may arise, especially in physically strenuous activities due to the durable and made it difficult to Breathe when Wearing a mask.
The care of your employees not to wear according to the researchers from all the companies. With serious consequences: “By the fear of contamination by the Coronavirus and the changes in work situation, a new psychological stress for the employees – and even in Occupations which were before the outbreak of the pandemic, no special health risks,” said Ahlers.
