Changes to Employment and Role
Nearly half of respondents (n=278; 43.7%) reported either decreased
hours of employment, threatened termination or actual termination of
employment since the onset of the pandemic (Table 2). While there was no
significant difference between employment setting and employment
termination, significantly more respondents employed in general practice
reported a decrease in work hours (p<0.001) and threatened
termination of employment (p=0.007).
Some 22.0% (n=140) of respondents reported having considered
resignation. The primary reasons for considering resignation related to
concern for personal physical (n=74; 52.9%) and psychological safety
(n=61; 43.6%), lack of job security / reduced hours (n=71; 50.7%), and
family safety (n=60; 42.9%). This concern for safety was beyond the
concerns with the virus with qualitative comments describing increased
public aggression “I’ve never been snarked and sniped at, or hung
up on, so much in my life” and “Increase in mental health
presentations due to isolation…… Increase in domestic
violence presentations”.
Table 2. Changes to employment