Accelerometer-measured physical activity during office and remote workdays

Background: Studies conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that remote workdays are associated with higher sedentary time compared to office workdays. Because the office workers are already sedentary in their work, the popularity of remote work after the pandemic may have led to increased sedentary time and thus reduced physical activity among hybrid and remote workers.
Purpose: To examine the differences in daily physical activity behavior during office and remote workdays among hybrid workers.
Methods: Hybrid workers were recruited from the University of Turku, Finland (n=50, 82% women, 41±10 years). Participants wore Fibion SENS accelerometers on their thigh for 7 consecutive days, including at least 2 office and 2 remote workdays. Sedentary time (SED), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during workdays (including working and non-working time) were measured. Linear mixed model was used to study intra-individual differences in physical activity behavior during office vs. remote workdays.
Results: Overall, remote workdays accumulated 63 minutes (95% CI 40-86) more SED, 50 min (26-74) less LPA, and 17 min (10-24) less MVPA compared to office workdays. When focusing on working hours, remote work accumulated 39 min (11-67) more SED, 31 min (13-50) less LPA, and 7 min (4-10) less MVPA compared to the office work. During non-working time, 26 min (5-46) more SED and 9 min (3 to 16) less MVPA was accumulated during the remote workdays.
Conclusions: Remote working hours accumulate more SED and less physical activity compared to the office hours. The lower worktime physical activity does not appear to be compensated with higher leisure physical activity.
Practical implications: More attention should be paid on remote workers’ sedentary time. Strategies to promote physical activity during remote workdays are warranted.
Funding: The Finnish Work Environment Fund and the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture