Workplace infection prevention control measures and work engagement during the COVID‐19 pandemic among Japanese workers: A prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to assess the effect of appropriate workplace IPC measures on employees' work engagement. It could be important to note how workplace infection prevention control (IPC) measures for COVID‐19 contribute to positive mental health among workers. We hypothesized that if workplace IPC measures are adequately implemented, they would have a positive effect on employees' work engagement. METHODS: We conducted an internet‐based prospective cohort study from December 2020 (baseline) to December 2021 (follow‐up after 1 year) using self‐administered questionnaires. At baseline, 27036 workers completed the questionnaires, while 18 560 (68.7%) participated in the one‐year follow‐up. After excluding the 6578 participants who changed jobs or retired during the survey period, or telecommuted more than 4 days per week, 11 982 participants were analyzed. We asked participants about the implementation of workplace IPC measures at baseline and conducted a follow‐up using a nine‐item version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES‐9). RESULTS: Four groups were created according to the number of workplace IPC measures implemented. The mean (SD) UWES‐9 score of the “0–2” group was the lowest at 18.3 (13.2), while that of the “8” group was the highest at 22.6 (12.6). The scores of the “3–5,” “6–7,” and “8” groups were significantly higher than that of the “0–2” group (all, p < .001). The p trend of the four groups was also significant (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Promoting workplace IPC measures improves workers' work engagement, and a dose–response relationship exists between workplace IPC measures and work engagement.