Background: 

Digital transformation has resulted in extensive use of information and communication technology (ICT) for occupational work in various domains (i.e. workplace, home, elsewhere). A better understanding of how ICT-use for work influence 24-h physical behaviors is needed for developing policy recommendations to promote health in a large fraction of the working population, including hybrid and teleworkers.

Purpose:

To examine the association of ICT-use and telework from home with 24-h physical behaviors in different domains among office workers in Sweden.

Methods:

We analyzed cross-sectional data from a Swedish cohort on flexible work (FLOC 2020-2025). Office workers (n=250) wore a thigh-worn accelerometer to assess physical behaviors and sleep over 7 days. Time spent working using ICT (minutes: computer, tablet, phone) and work domain (office, hybrid, telework from home) were self-reported. Linear mixed models were used to determine associations of ICT-use and work domain with 24-h compositions of sedentary, low, moderate-vigorous, and sleep behaviors, with adjustment for covariates. 

Results:

Results indicated that more ICT-use for work was significantly associated with more total sedentary time relative to physical activity of different intensities (p=0.01, R2= 0.096), but not with sleep relative to wake time. Hybrid and telework from home were significantly associated with more sedentary time relative to physical activity (p<0.05) and longer sleep relative to wake time (p<0.1).

Conclusions:

Using digital technology for work may contribute to more sedentary behavior in office workers, especially for hybrid and teleworkers.

Practical implications:

Interventions to reduce sedentary behavior may focus on reducing ICT-use and target both office, hybrid, and teleworkers.

Funding: The Swedish Research Council for Health, Working life and Welfare, FORTE (2019–01257).