The Forgotten Martyrs of the Hybrid Work Revolution: Frontline Workers

Alejandra Aguinaga's role as Nutrition Services Supervisor at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital was fraught with trepidation and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring patients received appropriate dietary nourishment was her utmost concern, but face-to-face interactions with patients carried an elevated risk.

"I constantly worried about getting sick, especially initially," Aguinaga confessed.

Her story is far from unique. Frontline workers, including grocery store employees, bankers, food service professionals, and healthcare personnel, have been instrumental in fulfilling society's essential needs, despite the risks. While many reveled in the adaptability of remote work during the pandemic, these individuals unwaveringly reported to their workplaces, forsaking their safety for our well-being.

The hybrid work revolution, which granted numerous professionals the privilege of working from home, left frontline workers behind. They enabled people to feed their families, refuel their vehicles, and access medical care, but at a steep cost. The apprehension of contracting the virus, transmitting it to their loved ones, and venturing out amidst the pandemic profoundly impacted their physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Understanding Frontline Workers' Ordeal

Frontline workers render critical societal services in sixteen industries, including emergency services, energy, food services, communications, government facilities, and healthcare. Estimates suggest that over 30 million frontline workers contribute to the United States' economy.

These workers frequently earn less than the average workforce and originate from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Minorities are disproportionately represented in several essential care sectors, such as building cleaning, social services, and warehouse jobs.

"This unprecedented event found our nation unprepared and inadequately equipped to manage a catastrophe of this magnitude," remarked Yalda Safai, MD, MPH, a psychiatrist in New York City. "The reality is, we couldn't all stay home; otherwise, we would face a catastrophe of even greater magnitude."

Their inability to stay home and constant exposure to the public resulted in higher risks of contracting COVID-19. "Working in a hospital, you acknowledge the potential for exposure to something undesirable," Aguinaga shared.

Studies have demonstrated that healthcare workers are more susceptible to testing positive for COVID-19. According to the World Health Organization, between January 2020 and May 2021, approximately 180,000 health and care workers succumbed to COVID-19 worldwide.

Although many workplaces provided protective gear like face masks and shields, the risk factors remained substantial. In November 2021, the rate of people quitting their jobs surged by 3%, equivalent to 4 million workers. Frontline workers constituted the majority of this surge.

Others remained steadfast in their positions due to their dedication to work and the people they served, as well as the need for a paycheck.

Conversely, those who work remotely do not encounter the virus daily as frontline workers do. Zoom calls, grocery deliveries, and telehealth appointments allow remote workers to remain safe at home. Not confronting the harsh realities of the virus on a daily basis makes a profound difference. Essential workers must grapple with it every time they enter their workplace.

The combination of dealing with an unpredictable virus and an anxious public exacted an unprecedented toll on essential workers' mental health.

The Mental Health Impact

Globally, people feared contracting COVID, but this fear was amplified exponentially for workers who could not stay home. A study conducted in 2021 revealed that frontline workers experienced intensified psychological distress as they worked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These apprehensions have persisted throughout the pandemic and escalated as new variants like Omicron have caused surges in positive cases.

"The numbers kept escalating higher and higher... I was anxious seeing the numbers rise, hearing the news, and everyone talking about it," Aguinaga recounted.

Mental Health America