The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on working and health conditions in a representative sample of French workers: a before/after study

For decades, scientists have understood that the place where a person spends their day shapes their health. This field, known as occupational health, looks at how the demands of a job, the support a worker receives, and the physical strain of their tasks interact with their well-being. When a job is too demanding without enough control or help, it can wear a person down, leading to exhaustion, anxiety, or physical pain. Conversely, when workers have autonomy, fair rewards, and a supportive environment, they tend to be healthier. The global pandemic that swept through the world in the early 2020s acted as a massive, unplanned experiment in this field. It forced millions to change how they worked, often moving into home offices or facing new safety risks, while simultaneously disrupting economies and social structures. Understanding whether these sudden shifts left a lasting mark on the workforce is crucial, not just for history, but for how we design the future of work.

A team of researchers in France set out to measure exactly what happened to the working conditions and health of employees after the pandemic, comparing the situation before the crisis with the situation once the emergency had passed. They did not rely on small, isolated groups or guesswork. Instead, they tapped into a massive national database called Evrest, which collects information from a random sample of French workers every few years. This database is unique because it gathers data directly during routine occupational health check-ups, ensuring the sample represents the real workforce across the country. The researchers focused on two specific time windows: the years just before the pandemic, from 2018 to 2019, and the years after the health emergency officially ended, from 2023 to 2024. They analyzed data from over 26,000 workers in the earlier period and more than 13,000 in the later period, covering ten major sectors of the economy, from manufacturing and construction to healthcare and information technology.

The study asked workers about the pressures they faced, such as time pressure, the need to skip meals to finish work, or the fear of losing their jobs. It also measured the resources available to them, like the ability to choose how they do their tasks, the support from colleagues, and whether their work was recognized. Physical demands were tracked by asking about repetitive movements, awkward postures, and carrying heavy loads. Finally, the researchers checked on the workers' health, looking for signs of physical pain in the back, neck, or limbs, as well as psychological distress like sleep problems, fatigue, and anxiety. By comparing the answers from the two periods, they could see if the world of work had improved, worsened, or stayed the same.

The overall picture that emerged was surprisingly positive regarding the environment of work, but concerning regarding the health of the workers. Between the two periods, the researchers found that job demands had significantly decreased. Fewer workers reported being under intense time pressure, working excessive overtime, or feeling the need to rush through tasks. At the same time, job resources had significantly increased. More workers felt they had the autonomy to organize their work, received better social support, and felt their efforts were recognized. Even the physical burden of work showed some improvement, with a notable drop in the number of employees who had to carry heavy loads. In short, the conditions of work appeared to have become less harsh and more supportive for the average French employee.

However, this improvement in working conditions did not translate into better health. Despite the lighter workload and better support, the physical health of the workers remained stable, with no overall improvement. The rates of musculoskeletal disorders, such as pain in the neck, back, shoulders, and wrists, remained stable or showed a tendency to rise in certain areas. Similarly, while fatigue levels dropped significantly across the board, psychological issues like anxiety and sleep disorders did not show a clear, universal improvement; anxiety increased in some sectors while decreasing in others. The data suggests that the benefits of a less demanding job did not immediately heal the physical and mental wear and tear that had accumulated.

The story becomes much more complex when looking at specific industries, where the trends varied wildly. The most troubling case was found in the accommodation and food service sector. In this industry, working conditions did not improve at all, and health problems actually grew worse. Workers in this sector reported an increase in repetitive movements and a sharp rise in elbow and shoulder pain. In contrast, the construction sector saw a dramatic improvement in job resources, with workers feeling much more supported and autonomous, yet they still faced rising rates of sleep disorders and anxiety. The information and communication sector, which includes many office workers who shifted to remote work, saw a massive drop in the need to carry heavy loads and a reduction in time pressure, but this group also saw a significant rise in anxiety. These disparities show that the pandemic's impact was not uniform; it lifted some sectors while leaving others struggling or even making them worse.

The researchers also considered why the physical health of workers did not improve even as their jobs became less demanding. They suggested that the shift to remote work and digitalization might have introduced new, unseen physical strains. Working from home often meant using furniture that was not designed for long hours of sitting, working in poor lighting, and spending more time on screens without taking active breaks. These factors could explain why back and neck pain persisted or grew, even if the traditional physical demands of the job had lessened. The study also noted that the data only included people who were still working at the time of the survey. This means the results might not fully capture the experience of those who were so sick or stressed by the pandemic that they left the workforce entirely, a phenomenon known as the "healthy worker effect," though the researchers noted that unemployment rates remained low enough that this likely did not skew the results too heavily.

Ultimately, the study reveals a nuanced reality about the post-pandemic world. While the immediate crisis forced many employers to reduce demands and increase support, creating a more favorable work environment on paper, the physical and mental toll on the workforce has not yet receded. The improvements in how work is organized have not yet healed the injuries and stress accumulated during the crisis. Furthermore, the experience was not shared equally; some industries, particularly those involving direct service and food, continue to face deteriorating conditions and rising health risks. The researchers conclude that while the overall trend shows a decrease in exposure to risk factors, the disparities between sectors are significant. They warn that without close monitoring, the long-term negative consequences of these changes could continue to affect the health of specific groups of employees, highlighting the need for targeted support in the most vulnerable industries.