Job satisfaction and challenges of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic: A study in a Swedish academic setting.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic changed the academic world in various ways, and most universities are still closed and continue operating via teleworking.

Objective: This study is intended to investigate how university faculty/staff and students in Sweden have coped with the lockdown and working/studying from home during the pandemic.

Methods: A survey was conducted among 277 women and men working and studying at different universities in Sweden.

Results: The results indicate that most (61%) respondents were very or somewhat satisfied with the current work-from-home arrangement. Additionally, they indicate that, overall, almost 30% were working more than usual due to the pandemic and teleworking. The coping methods having the highest impact on overall job satisfaction were: "thinking about what I can do rather than what I can't do"; "being able to access medical resources and medical services if I need to seek help"; and "having trust in state or health authorities in my country."

Conclusions: The study reveals that Sweden can serve as a good example of how university faculty/staff and students can address the occupational challenges caused by a health pandemic and possible subsequent quarantines.