WORK CONTEXT AND WELL-BEING OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN TIMES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

WORK CONTEXT... WELL-BEING AT WORK. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic demanded a reorganization of work processes and assistance flows in health institutions, which can have physical, psychological and social impacts among professionals and affect the health and well-being of these servers. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the influence of aspects related to the work context on health and well-being on the part of health professionals working in the Quality of Life, Health and Safety at Work (DAS) Directorate. Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), in times of COVID-19 pandemic. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study with a mixed approach. Data were collected through two instruments (sociodemographic and functional questionnaire and Work Context Assessment Scale) with the help of the online tool Google Forms. The research was conducted at DAS-UFRN, located in the city of Natal-RN. The target audience were the health professionals working (totally or partially in person) in that board. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and qualitative data from the perspective of Bardin's content analysis. The results obtained indicated that the aspects inherent to the DAS work context (conditions, work organization and socio-professional relationships) provide a welcoming, motivating environment that favors the health and well-being of professionals. However, it was noted that the Covid 19 pandemic had a negative impact on workers' health. The suggestions for improvement were mostly related to restructuring the environment and the process and work flow, team feedback, psychological and management support, in addition to training staff on new work tools. It is expected that the study will contribute to public management, providing information related to the work and welfare of public servants aiming at possible improvements in the management of institutional processes.