Remote Work and Occupational Health and Safety: Impacts and Best practices–A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review aims to first, explore the influence of remote work on occupational health and safety, in terms of mental and physical health and second, to shed light on best practices that can be adopted to improve the health and safety of employees working remotely. Twenty-four (24) peer-reviewed articles published from 2020 to 2024, were selected through the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review identified four themes, namely–positive impact of remote work; negative impact of remote work; challenges associated with remote work, and best practices for effective remote work practices. Findings from the study revealed that the impact of remote work on OHS was mixed. Eight (8) papers found that remote employees performed better in their OHS, whereas 18 papers found the opposite. The most dominant health disorders reported were depression, stress, anxiety and musculoskeletal pain. In contrast, the study identified that vertical trust levels and job design that considers physical and psychosocial aspects of the job can enhance safety while working remotely. Remote workers are encouraged to follow ergonomics best practices, take regular breaks during work to stretch and move around to reduce musculoskeletal disorders.