Effects of a telework environment intervention on work setup behaviors and somatic symptoms among Japanese teleworkers: a secondary analysis of the TELEWORK cluster randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES

Home workspace ergonomics may influence telework-related somatic symptoms; however, evidence regarding interventions promoting teleworkers' self-directed environment setup remains limited. We examined the effects of a behavioral science-based educational intervention on telework environment setup behaviors and somatic symptoms among Japanese employees.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of the TELEWORK cluster randomized controlled trial (UMIN000053861). Workplace departments were randomized as clusters (1:1) to intervention/control. The 12-week program comprised educational emails, short videos, individualized feedback sheets, and supportive supervisor messages. The primary and secondary outcomes were the Telework Environment Setup Behavior (12 items) and Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8) scores, respectively. Analyses used a modified intention-to-treat approach with mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

Twelve clusters from 6 companies participated (182 and 188 in the intervention and control groups, respectively). No significant between-group differences were observed in environment setup (difference, 1.34; 95% CI, -1.67 to 4.35; P = .345) or SSS-8 (difference, -1.10; 95% CI, -2.59 to 0.38; P = .129) scores at follow-up. In the process evaluation, over half of intervention participants who completed the follow-up reported satisfaction, nearly 90% read the emails, and approximately 40% viewed the videos. Among video viewers, approximately two-thirds reported adopting recommended behaviors, while >80% rated the content useful.

CONCLUSIONS

This secondary analysis did not detect statistically significant improvements in telework environment setup behaviors or somatic symptoms. Statistical conclusions regarding intervention effects remain inconclusive, underscoring the need for organizationally supported, multifaceted strategies to strengthen telework environments.