Volume 6, Issue 3, March – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Job Satisfaction, Anxiety and Fear of

Covid-19 in Telecommuters
Karina Carlota Astudillo-Llerena.1, Isabel Cristina Mesa-Cano1,2, Andrés Alexis Ramírez-Coronel1,2,3
1
Master's Degree in Postgraduate Care Management of the Catholic University of Cuenca, Ecuador.
2
Nursing Career of the Catholic University of Cuenca, Ecuador.
3
Laboratory of Psychometry, Comparative Psychology and Ethology of the Center for Research, Innovation and Technology
Transfer of the Catholic University of Cuenca, Ecuador.

*Correspondence: Mesa Cano Isabel Cristina

Affiliation: Master in Postgraduate Care Management, Universidad Catholica de Cuenca, Ecuador.

Abstract:- As a consequence of this new digital and his working day through the use of telematic means from his
globalized era, has arisen the need to acquire new own home or authorized place, provided that the nature and
knowledge and develop new skills among workers, this need of the service allow it, and within the framework of the
accompanied by a change of priorities on the part of the policy of reconciliation of personal, family and work life of
new generations, where the personal use of time (family civil servants (3).
life, leisure, sports, etc.) becomes more valued than in
previous times. The objective of the present work is to The work stress of health professionals caused by
determine job satisfaction, anxiety and fear of COVID- teleworking, we must bear in mind that it can affect any
19 in teleworkers of the Catholic University of Cuenca. A workplace and any worker.
non-experimental, prospective and descriptive
quantitative study was carried out with a cross-sectional Stress, in some cases, linked to the health profession of
correlational and comparative design. We worked with the teleworker can be caused by different factors, such as the
108 teleworkers of the Catholic University of Cuenca content of the work, its organization, environment, lack of
Matriz. The results obtained in the present work show communication and the like, is a state that is accompanied
that the workers, both teachers and administrative staff by physical, psychological or social complaints or
of the Catholic University of Cuenca, who performed dysfunctions and results from the inability of individuals to
their work activities through the telework method, live up to the demands or expectations placed on them (4).
although they were satisfied with their work, presented
levels of anxiety from mild to high, and high levels of The individual is able to handle short-term stress,
fear as a result of the pandemic of COVID-19 and the which can be considered positive, but has difficulty
compulsory isolation that this generated. withstanding prolonged exposure to intense pressure such as
teleworking (5).
Keywords:- Job Satisfaction, Telework, Anxiety, Fear.
SARS-CoV-2, Confinement. At present by Covid 19 are the reasons why there is an
increase in the desertion of people who are part of the world,
I. INTRODUCTION the cause of stress that is handled by the performance of
work within an organization, thus creating relationships of
Teleworking is a labor modality that is being promoted tension between all areas with senior management. Because
and implemented in Colombia as a strategy for employment of this, flexible forms of work have emerged as teleworking
generation. However, this form of labor flexibilization as it is a modality capable of improving relations between all
requires minimum guarantees in terms of protection for members of the organization, since it has been proven that
workers (1). performing work from home releases the burdens of tension
between senior management towards their workers,
Colombia, since 2010, has generated proposals for improves the quality of life on a large scale both in the
laws on telework, in order to generate jobs and self- personal and work environment and finally ensures
employment. In other countries such as Uruguay or Brazil, increased organizational productivity (6).
no distinction is made between telework and home-based
work (2). The COVID-19 pandemic can be stressful for
individuals because fear and anxiety about a new disease
In Argentina, it is defined as a provision of services and what might happen in the face of it can be
that is performed in places other than the company, in Costa overwhelming and generate strong emotions in both adults
Rica it is defined as the provision of services of a non- and children. Public health measures, such as social
presential nature, where a civil servant can develop part of distancing, have caused people to feel isolated.

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The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the economy of A study by Healthcare investigated among 15
all countries, generating critical situations in companies countries and found that workers were more productive
around the world, unemployment and economic difficulties when doing their jobs and found that employees who
for most families and individuals. Those with high anxiety worked at home had longer working hours, more intense
trait, tend to respond with anxiety to situations of work and interrupted work to perform household chores
uncertainty, could be overwhelmed by the economic (11). The research distinguished between employees who
situation created by this pandemic (7). regularly worked at home, those who moved constantly to
work in different locations and those who split their time
Worldwide surveys show that around 30-60% of between an office and another location. The groups of
workers are not satisfied in their jobs, although 80-85% of workers who always worked in the office reported lower
these workers say they could be satisfied if some aspect of levels of stress and sleeplessness than those who worked at
their job were to change. However, job satisfaction is an home. Forty-two percent of the latter had high levels of
essential element for achieving effective workers, involved stress, compared to 29% of workers who performed their
and committed to the organization and willing to contribute tasks in an office (12).
innovation and improvements (7).
Psychiatrist Ana Millán explains that, since
A study of 106 teleworkers in the City of Buenos Aires teleworking began, "the use of anxiolytics and hypnotics",
showed that 61% of them recognize that they have improved drugs used to reduce anxiety and help sleep, "has
their performance, 53% say they have a greater skyrocketed. In the first place, the doctor explains, because
concentration on their tasks, while 35% find it easier to the change from working in an office to being at home all
fulfill them when teleworking (8). day was abrupt and imposed by a public health issue.
Secondly, because "the living space was invaded by the
This research shows the level of job satisfaction that working space". Juanita, for example, can no longer bear to
teleworking has in the Catholic University of Cuenca in its enter the place in her home where she set up her work
employees, taking into account that the means of station and is terrified to think that now she no longer likes a
communication especially the internet, allows to carry out space in her home because it is associated with anxiety and
different work experiences, however, teleworking is not stress. Another cause pointed out by psychiatrist Millán is
only a benefit for employees, it is also an advantage for the that, since there is no movement between home and the
Universities because costs are reduced, higher productivity office, the mental space to metabolize and digest day-to-day
is generated and all processes will be efficient, thus betting problems has been lost (13).
on a competitive advantage.
Fear is directly associated with its transmission rate as
Telework is a form of work organization, which is well as its morbidity and mortality. This further leads to
developed at a distance or away from the company's other psychosocial challenges such as stigmatization,
facilities. It has three modalities that allow companies discrimination and loss of loved ones. With high levels of
through a detailed study of feasibility of implementation, to fear, individuals may not think clearly and rationally when
define for a group of workers or for certain positions, this reacting to COVID-19. However, current treatment for
type of work. This way of working is supported, almost COVID-19 worldwide has mainly focused on infection
depending on the integral use of information and control, an effective vaccine, and treatment cure rate (14).
communication technologies, it also has a series of
advantages and benefits for the parties involved (company - Objective General
worker), as well as some points of attention as we call it in - To determine job satisfaction, anxiety and fear of COVID-
the present writing or disadvantages; that from the planning 19 in tele-workers of the Catholic University of Cuenca.
and the controls can be mitigated. The quality of life for
workers is one of the advantages and is the focus of this Specific
research, as it represents several factors such as savings 1. To identify the sociodemographic characteristics of the
from the point of view of travel, time, as well as personal, study population.
social and family aspects of individuals that together with 2. Assessment of the dimensions of job satisfaction, anxiety
the above provide welfare and happiness. On the other hand, and fear of COVID-19.
and not less important, for the companies and according to 3. To relate the dimensions of job satisfaction with anxiety,
the integral planning, the telework increases the fear and sociodemographic variables in the participants
productivity, reduces costs of physical plane, reduces the of the research.
absenteeism, among others (9).
II. METHODOLOGY
Telework is a modality of work organization
characterized by: the distant position of the worker with Type of research
respect to the headquarters of his employer, and the use by A non-experimental, prospective and descriptive
the worker of new information and communication quantitative study with a cross-sectional correlational and
technologies to develop the work and communicate with his comparative design was carried out.
employer and colleagues (10).

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Volume 6, Issue 3, March – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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Population significant and strong factor loadings (0.66 to 0.74). In
For the following study there was a population of 150 addition, other properties assessed using both classical27
teleworkers of the Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Azogues test-retest theory and the Rasch model28 were satisfactory
branch. on the seven-item scale. More specifically, reliability values
such as internal consistency (α = 0.82) and test-retest
Sample reliability (ICC = 0.72) were acceptable. Concurrent validity
A simple random sampling was carried out. The was supported by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression
sample consisted of 108 teachers of the Universidad Scale (with depression, r = 0.425 and anxiety, r = 0.511) and
Católica de Cuenca, Azogues, according to the formula the Perceived Vulnerability to Illness Scale (with perceived
Sierra Bravo of 1988, the error (5%) that we make in unafectability, r = 0.483 and germ aversion, r = 0.459).
estimating the sample size, based on a confidence level of Participants indicate their level of agreement with the
95%. statements using a five-item Likert scale. Responses
included "strongly disagree," "disagree," "neither agree nor
Inclusion and exclusion criteria disagree," "agree," and "strongly agree." The minimum
Male and female teachers between 18 and 65 years of possible score for each question is 1, and the maximum is 5.
age were included, who agreed to participate in this study by A total score is calculated by adding the score of each item
filling out the informed consent form and who are currently (from 7 to 35). The higher the score, the greater the fear of
teaching at the Catholic University of Cuenca, Azogues cororonavirus-19(14).
campus. Teachers with any illness will be excluded.
Confinement COVID-19 related symptoms: Fever Yes or
Instruments No, cough Yes or No, shortness of breath Yes or No, chills
Yes or No, muscle pain Yes or No, repeated shivering with
Sociodemographic survey: Age, sex, education, marital chills Yes or No, headache Yes or No, sore throat Yes or
status, number of children, number of people living, years of No, onset of loss of smell and taste Yes or No, difficulty
teaching experience, time of confinement, presence of breathing Yes or No, persistent pain or pressure in the chest
symptoms related to COVID-19. Yes or No, persistent pain or pressure in the chest Yes or
No.
Job Satisfaction: The instrument contains items related to
the level of job satisfaction in relation to issues of working Procedure: The sample was accessed using criteria of
conditions, work supervision, work recognition, work accessibility and economy by digital means: ERP from the
significance, autonomy, communication with other areas. platform of the Catholic University of Cuenca, in which the
informed consent was detailed and , the data of the
STAI Anxiety Scale: According to Fonseca-Pedrero et al. participants were collected using the form in Google in
(2012) the Spanish adaptation of the "State-Trait Anxiety which the questions corresponding to the sociodemographic
Inventory (STAI; Spielberger et al., 1970; Spielberger et al, variables, job satisfaction, anxiety and fear of Covid-19
2008). The STAI is a 40-item self-report (Appendix 2) were implemented, a codebook was prepared to collect each
designed to assess two independent concepts of anxiety: variable with its labeling and operationalization, the data are
anxiety as a state (transient emotional condition) and anxiety for the exclusive use of this research, it was coded with the
as a trait (relatively stable anxious propensity). The time participant number, without registration of name or surname
frame of reference for anxiety as a state is "right now, at this so the participants cannot be identified with their personal
moment" (20 items) and for anxiety as a trait is "in general, data.
most of the time" (20 items). Each subscale consists of a
total of 20 items in a 4-point Likert response system Statistical analysis: A descriptive analysis was performed
according to intensity (0= almost never/not at all; 1= using percentages, frequencies, measures of central
somewhat/sometimes; 2= quite often; 3= very much/almost tendency, and then a normality test was performed using
always). The total score in each of the subscales ranges from Shapiro Wilk (W). Parametric tests were used for the
0 to 60 points. In samples of the Spanish population, internal correlation of anxiety and confinement variables, using
consistency levels have been found that range, both for the Pearson's correlation coefficient. For the aforementioned
total score and for each of the subscales, between 0.84 and statistical analyses, InfoStat and SPSS 26 software were
0.93 (13). used.

Fear of COVID-19: This instrument was created by III. RESULTS

Ahorsu, Lin, Imani, Saffari, Griffiths and Pakpour. The
sample comprised 717 Iranian participants. The FCV-19S Sociodemographic profile
items were constructed based on an extensive review of Table 1 presents the characteristics of the population
existing fear scales, expert assessments, and participant studied. When analyzing the sociodemographic
interviews. Several psychometric tests were conducted to characteristics, it can be determined that of the 108
determine its reliability and validity properties. After panel participants, the average age is 35.95 years, 67.6% are
examination and corrected item total correlation tests, seven women, 63.9% have a master's degree, 88% have a teaching
items were retained with acceptable corrected item total position, with an average of 4.76 years of experience, 51.9%
correlation (0.47 to 0.56) and were further confirmed with are married, 95.4% have a middle-level socioeconomic

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status, 69.4% have children. Regarding the characteristics reintegration of their work and 44.4% of the population did
according to the confinement, it can be determined that not present any symptoms related to COVID-19 (Table 2).
67.6% were in confinement from 1 to 6 months before

Table 1. Description of sociodemographic characteristics

Characteristics f %
Age: (mean) (SD) (35,95) (8,267)
Years of experience (mean) (SD) (4,76) (4,664)
Sex: Male 35 32,4%
Female 73 67,6%
Instruction: Third Level 36 33,3%
Master's Degree 69 63,9%
PHD 3 2,8%
Current position: Teacher 95 88,0%
Administrative 13 12,0%
Current marital status: single 34 31,5%
married 56 51,9%
common-law 10 9,3%
widowed 1 0,9%
divorced/separated 7 6,5%
Socioeconomic status Low level 4 3,7%
Medium level 103 95,4%
High level 1 0,9%
Do you have children? Yes 75 69,4%
No 33 30,6%
How many people do you live with in your household? 1 to 3 people 35 32,4%
4 to 6 persons 61 56,5%
6 to 9 persons 12 11,1%

Table 2. Description of the characteristics according to confinement

f %

¿Time of confinement? 1 to 6 months 73 67,6%

6 to 12 months 35 32,4%
Presence of COVID-19 related Fever 4 3,7%
symptoms. Cough 8 7,4%
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 3 2,8%
Muscle pain 10 9,3%
Headache 21 19,4%
Sore throat 10 9,3%
Appearance of loss of sense of smell and taste 4 3,7%
No symptoms 48 44,4%

Table 3 presents the assessment of job satisfaction in the modality of teleworking, where teachers and administrative staff of
the Catholic University of Account present job satisfaction in all dimensions: Considerations of Work, supervision, recognition,
transcendence, independence / autonomy, communication with other areas.

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Volume 6, Issue 3, March – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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Table 3. Job Satisfaction Rating
Dimensions Minimum Maximum Mean Mean Variance
Deviation
Job 1. Regarding the space you have available for 1 4 3,13 ,750
Considerations your telework?
2. Regarding the illumination of your telework 1 4 3,22 ,715
place?
3. Regarding the ventilation of your 1 4 3,19 ,742
teleworking place?
4. Regarding the noise level of your 1 4 3,05 ,790
teleworking place?
5. Regarding the temperature comfort of your 1 4 3,19 ,712
home to perform telework?
6. Regarding the adequacy and aids that your 1 4 3,06 ,727
company provides to perform telework?
Supervision 1. Regarding the control that your boss 1 4 3,12 ,817
exercises over you since you have been
teleworking?
2. Regarding the way in which your boss 1 4 3,19 ,791
evaluates your performance?
3. Regarding the frequency with which you 1 4 3,20 ,818
contact your boss?
4. Regarding the timeliness of the response you 1 4 3,10 ,842
receive from your boss?
5. Regarding the feedback you receive from 1 4 3,10 ,842
your boss?
Recognition 1. With the way your boss recognizes your 1 4 3,12 ,794
work?
2. With the support you receive from your 1 4 3,13 ,855
boss?
3. With the rewards for the achievement of 1 4 3,06 ,807
objectives?
Transcendence 1. What does your work produce in you? 1 4 3,18 ,807
2. In terms of the possibilities for creativity 1 4 3,17 ,755
that your job offers you?
3. In terms of the opportunities your job offers 1 4 3,24 ,709
you to do the things you like to do?
4. In terms of the development of your skills 1 4 3,19 ,767
from your work?
Independence / 1. Regarding the ability to freely decide 1 4 3,15 ,721
autonomy aspects related to your work?
2. Regarding the ability to decide how much 1 4 3,06 ,734
work you do in a day?
3. Regarding your participation in the decisions 1 4 2,99 ,704
of your work group?
Communication 1. With regard to the interrelationship with 1 4 3,08 ,763
with other areas your co-workers?
2. Regarding the frequency with which you 1 4 3,04 ,760
contact your co-workers?
3. Regarding the clarity and timeliness of the 1 4 3,07 ,770
information transmitted to you?

Table 4 presents the valuation of the anxiety of work in the modality of teleworking, of the teachers and administrative staff
of the Catholic University of Cuenca. The values presented are based on the mean corresponding to each item of the
questionnaire. The variation of the means ranges between 0.55 and 2.43.

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Table 4. Anxiety Rating
Minimum Maximum Mean Mean Desv
I feel calm 0 3 1.66 .877
I feel confident 0 3 1.84 .833
I am tense 0 3 .86 .803
I am upset 0 3 .75 .787
I feel comfortable (I am at ease) 0 3 1.64 .952
I feel upset 0 3 .55 .647
I am worried about possible future misfortunes 0 3 1.31 .924
I feel rested 0 3 .98 .626
I feel anxious 0 3 .77 .756
I feel comfortable 0 3 1.31 .882
I feel confident 1 3 2.43 .713
I feel nervous 0 3 .70 .752
I am uneasy 0 3 .68 .681
I feel very "tied down" (as in oppressed) 0 3 .62 .782
I am relieved 0 3 1.14 .922
I feel satisfied 0 3 1.56 .846
I am worried 0 3 .96 .796
I feel dazed and overexcited 0 3 .56 .674
I feel joyful 0 3 1.68 .771
At this moment I feel good 0 3 1.87 .821

Table 5 presents the valuation of fear of working in the modality of teleworking, of the teachers and administrative staff of
the Catholic University of Cuenca. The values presented are based on the mean corresponding to each item of the FCV-19S
questionnaire. The variation of the means ranges between 2.68 and 3.40.

Table 5. Assessment of fear of Covid-19

Minimum Maximum Mean Mean Desv
I am very afraid of the coronavirus - 19 1 5 3.40 1.260
I feel uncomfortable thinking about coronavirus - 19 1 5 3.35 1.278
I feel my palms sweat when I think about coronavirus - 19
1 5 2.81 1.382
I am afraid of losing my life to coronavirus - 19 1 5 3.38 1.379
When I see new stories about coronavirus - 19 on social media, I get
1 5 3.19 1.348
nervous or anxious.
I can't sleep because I am worried about having coronavirus - 19
1 5 2.68 1.446
My heart races or races when I think about getting coronavirus - 19
1 5 2.86 1.437

The relationship between the sociodemographic variables with job satisfaction, anxiety and fear related to COVID-19 is
presented below.

Regarding the relationship between job satisfaction, Table 6 presents the means corresponding to each of the six dimensions
for each sociodemographic variable. It can be seen, for example, that in terms of gender, men have the highest satisfaction scores
in the four components; in components 5 and 6 the scores are similar. For each variable, those with the highest satisfaction scores
compared to the other sociodemographic variables are highlighted in Table 6.

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Table 6.- Relationship between job satisfaction and sociodemographic characteristics
SL1 SL2 SL3 SL4 SL5 SL6
Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean
Sex: Male 20 17 10 14 9 10
Female 18 15 9 12 9 9
Age: (grouped) 24-40 18 16 9 13 9 9
41 - 60 20 16 10 13 10 9
Education: Third Level 18 15 9 12 9 9
Master's Degree 19 16 9 13 9 9
PHD 19 17 11 14 10 10
Current position: Teacher 19 16 9 13 9 9
Administrative 19 17 10 14 10 9
Years of Less than 10years 19 16 9 13 9 9
experience 1 More than 10 years
(grouped) 20 18 11 14 9 10

Current marital single 18 15 9 12 9 9

status: married 19 16 9 13 9 9
common-law marriage 21 17 10 13 10 10
widowed 19 17 12 16 11 9
divorced/separated 18 15 9 13 10 9
Socioeconomic Low level 17 14 9 13 9 9
stratum Medium level 19 16 9 13 9 9
High level 17 14 9 12 9 9
Have children: Yes 19 16 9 13 9 9
No 18 15 9 13 9 9
Number of 0 18 15 9 13 9 9
children 1 19 16 9 13 9 9
2 19 16 9 13 9 9
3 20 17 10 13 10 10
4 19 15 8 12 8 8
How many 1 to 3 persons 20 17 10 14 10 10
people do you 4 to 6 persons 18 15 9 12 9 9
live with in your 6 to 9 persons
household? 19 16 10 12 9 10

Time of 1 to 6 months 19 16 9 13 9 9
confinement? 6 to 12 months
18 15 9 12 9 9
Presence of Fever 20 19 11 14 10 11
symptoms Cough 21 18 11 14 11 10
related to Shortness of breath or
COVID-19 20 18 10 12 10 10
difficulty breathing
Muscle pain 18 15 9 12 9 9
Headache 19 16 9 13 9 9
Sore throat 21 17 10 14 10 10
Appearance of loss of
17 15 9 11 9 8
smell and taste
No symptoms 18 15 9 12 9 9

Regarding the relationship between anxiety, the means corresponding to the total score of the STAI questionnaire items for
each sociodemographic variable are presented in Table 7. The anxiety means presented in Table 7 range from 20 to 34. As in
Table 6, the variables with higher anxiety scores compared to the other sociodemographic variables have been highlighted.

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Table 7.- Relationship between anxiety and sociodemographic characteristics
TOTAL_ANXIETY
Mean
Sex: Male 24
Female 24
Age: (grouped) 24-40 23
41 - 60 27
Education: Third Level 21
Master's Degree 25
PHD 24
Current position: Teacher 24
Administrative 26
Years of experience 1 (grouped) Less than 10years 24
More than 10 years 30
Current marital status: single 22
married 25
common-law marriage 21
widowed 34
divorced/separated 23
Socioeconomic stratum Low level 24
Medium level 24
High level 20
Have children: Yes 24
No 23
Number of children 0 23
1 23
2 24
3 25
4 27
How many people do you live with in your household? 1 to 3 persons 25
4 to 6 persons 23
6 to 9 persons 23
Time of confinement? 1 to 6 months 24
6 to 12 months 24
Presence of symptoms related to COVID-19 Fever 27
Cough 28
Shortness of breath or difficulty
25
breathing
Muscle pain 28
Headache 26
Sore throat 27
Appearance of loss of smell and
23
taste
No symptoms 20

Finally, regarding the relationship between fear, Table 8 presents the means corresponding to the total score of the FCV-19S
questionnaire items for each sociodemographic variable. The fear means presented in Table 8 range from 15 to 29. Similarly, the
variables with higher fear scores compared to the other sociodemographic variables have been highlighted in Table 8.

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Table 8.- Correlation between fear and sociodemographic characteristics
TOTAL_FEAR
Mean
Sex: Male 20
Female 22
Age: (grouped) 24-40 22
41 - 60 19
Education: Third Level 25
Master's Degree 20
PHD 21
Current position: Teacher 22
Administrative 19
Years of experience 1 (grouped) Less than 10years 22
More than 10 years 15
Current marital status: single 21
married 22
common-law marriage 21
widowed 19
divorced/separated 29
Socioeconomic stratum Low level 20
Medium level 22
High level 21
Have children: Yes 23
No 19
Number of children 0 19
1 26
2 21
3 22
4 28
How many people do you live with in 1 to 3 persons 21
your household? 4 to 6 persons 21
6 to 9 persons 25
¿Time of confinement? 1 to 6 months 22
6 to 12 months 21
Presence of symptoms related to Fever 20
COVID-19 Cough 19
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 20
Muscle pain 16
Headache 20
Sore throat 20
Appearance of loss of smell and taste 18
No symptoms 25

IV. DISCUSSION 35.95 years, with a minimum age of 24 years and a

maximum age of 64 years. Another important characteristic
The main objective of this research was to determine to mention is that 95.4% of the workers reported belonging
job satisfaction, anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in to a medium socioeconomic stratum.
teleworkers of the Catholic University of Cuenca, Azogues.
As for the assessment of job satisfaction, the mean
The sample consisted of 108 professionals, including scores in all dimensions, ranged from 2.99 - 3.24; that is to
teachers and administrative staff, from the Catholic say that teachers and administrators who perform
University of Cuenca, Azogues, was characterized by being teleworking in general are satisfied with the Considerations
composed mostly of women with 67.6% compared to 32.4% of work, Supervision, Recognition, Transcendence,
belonging to men; the average age of the participants was Independence and Communication with other areas.

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workers presented a higher degree of dissatisfaction than
In the assessment of anxiety, the values of the means those who were married or living with a partner.
of the total scores for each item of the STAI questionnaire
varied between 0.55 and 2.43, being 0 the indicator the Regarding the relationship between anxiety, with mean
lowest score and 3 the highest. Regarding fear, the mean STAI questionnaire scores between 20 and 34, and
corresponding to each item of the FCV-19S questionnaire according to (21), teachers who performed telework
ranged between 2.68 and 3.40, with the lowest score being 1 presented anxiety levels from mild to high. For each
and 5 being the highest. sociodemographic variable, those who presented higher
levels of anxiety were professionals between 41 and 60
Job satisfaction was evaluated in terms of mean scores. years of age; professionals with a master's degree;
In terms of gender, men had higher satisfaction scores than administrative staff more than teachers; those with more
women in components 1, 2, 3, and 4. Professionals between than 10 years of experience also presented higher levels of
41 and 60 years of age indicated higher satisfaction than anxiety; according to marital status, it was widowers who
younger professionals. It was found that professionals with a indicated high anxiety compared to mild anxiety of those in
PhD degree have higher satisfaction, in all dimensions, than other marital statuses; with regard to socioeconomic status,
those with a third level degree and master's degree. In terms both those with low and high levels of income showed
of position, administrative staff were more satisfied than higher anxiety than those with high levels; professionals
teachers in dimensions 2, 3 and 4. According to years of with children also showed more anxiety than those without
experience, those with more than 10 years of experience children, and those with 4 children showed higher levels of
were more satisfied than those with less than 10 years of anxiety compared to those with fewer children. In addition,
experience. Marital status suggests that those in a common- those who live with 1 to 3 people were more anxious than
law union have higher job satisfaction in dimensions 1, 2, those who live with more people, and those who presented
and 6; however, in dimensions 3, 4 and 5 it is widowers who symptoms such as cough and muscle pain also indicated
indicated higher job satisfaction. Professionals of a medium higher anxiety compared to the other symptoms considered
socioeconomic stratum revealed to be more satisfied at in this study. In terms of sex, men and women presented
work, but only with regard to dimensions 1 and 2, since in equal levels of anxiety, and those who were confined for 1
the remaining dimensions the mean scores are equal; similar to 6 months presented equal levels of anxiety as those who
results were presented by those who reported having were confined for up to 1 year.
children, and those who have 3 children indicated feeling
more satisfied at work compared to those who have fewer In contrast to the work by Lin. et al (21) that aimed to
children. identify populations vulnerable to anxiety and depression
during COVID-19, it showed that the COVID-19 pandemic
Regarding the home situation, the highest job significantly increased levels of anxiety and depression in its
satisfaction scores correspond to professionals who live with initial phase. Furthermore, it showed that although the
1 to 3 people, and as the number of family members female gender was vulnerable to anxiety in most studies, no
increases, job satisfaction decreases; in this sense, significant differences were found between genders.
professionals who spent less time in confinement, from 1 to
6 months, also reported being more satisfied than those who In general, with mean FCV-19S questionnaire scores
had to spend between 6 months and 1 year in confinement. between 15 and 29, the professionals who performed
Finally, among all the symptoms considered for the present presented a high level of fear. For each sociodemographic
study, cough was the symptom that caused least discomfort variable, those who presented higher levels of fear were
in the professionals, since those who had it indicated higher women, workers between 24 and 40 years of age,
levels of job satisfaction. professionals with a third level degree, teachers, those with
less than 10 years of experience, those with
Regarding gender and job satisfaction, the results divorced/separated marital status, those of middle
differ from the results of other authors, for example, socioeconomic status, those who have children, those who
Sánchez et al. et al. (2007) (16) point out that the vast have more children, those who live with more people, 6 to 9
majority of results support that the highest satisfaction is people, and those who did not present any symptoms of
manifested among women, which agrees with Carrillo- COVID-19 disease.
García et al. et al. (2013) (17), who support a trend of
feminization of several professions, showing that women are V. CONCLUSIONS
the ones who show higher levels of satisfaction at a global
level. Hodson (1989) (18) argues that socially women tend The results obtained in the present work show that
to be more passive and less likely to express their discontent workers, both teachers and administrative staff of the
even when they feel dissatisfied, as indicated by Jung (2007) Catholic University of Cuenca Sede Azogues, who
(19) probably because they compare themselves with performed their work activities through the teleworking
unemployed or underemployed women more than with their method, although they were satisfied with their work,
male colleagues. Regarding marital status, similar results presented levels of anxiety from mild to high, and high
were obtained in a study by Gómez-García. (2013) (20), levels of fear as a result of the pandemic of COVID-19 and
where it was shown that separated/divorced/widowed social the mandatory isolation that this generated.

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Volume 6, Issue 3, March – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
These results highlight the need to try to mitigate the [8]. García R, Guevara M, Mella L, Quality of work life of
psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is teleworkers in work environments using information
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