Cognitive failure at work after COVID-19 infection is jeopardizing self-confidence and the financial well-being of working adults, a new study shows.
New research suggests that experiencing memory, attention, and concentration problems at work may be related to a previous diagnosis of COVID-19.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo surveyed 94 full-time working adults who had or had not contracted COVID-19 at least a month before the study and found constant cognitive failure in these adults while working.
According to the study, a third of people who take COVID-19 report difficulty with cognitive performance when returning to work. This can lead to lower task performance and a higher intention to quit the job.
“It is possible that, in addition to harming physical health, COVID-19 also poses risks to financial well-being,” write the study’s authors.
Within the study, there are a number of limitations that the authors claim should be addressed through further research. The first was that 80 percent of respondents who reported having contracted COVID-19 did so before March 2021, when there was still no widespread vaccination.
In addition, no data were collected on the severity of a person’s symptoms, whether they had experienced COVID symptoms for a long time or were absent from work.
The study authors write that further research is needed to assess the impact of vaccination on reports of cognitive failure and how job characteristics may affect their performance after hiring COVID-19.
“Cognitive failures can be a nuisance for someone doing a low-complexity job, but that person can still cope with the demands of the job,” the study authors write. “On the other hand, cognitive failures can make it more or less impossible to complete very complex work.”
According to the study, this could lead people working in a very complex job to look for other sources of employment.
The authors also point out that the self-report may have influenced the results. They speculate that participants may have thought they were experiencing “brain fog” because of the media they consumed about the virus when, in fact, there was no objective change in their performance at work.
Limitations aside, research shows that the cognitive failures reported in the study were associated with decreased participants ’self-esteem of work performance and a willingness to voluntarily give up work.
James Beck, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo and co-author of the study, said the findings have important implications for employers.
“People returning to work after contracting COVID-19 may have difficulty returning to their previous level of performance at COVID-19 and adjustments may be needed,” Beck said in a press release. “These adaptations may include reducing workloads, extending deadlines, or offering flexible work arrangements.”