Emotional Responses to Telework and International Leadership Implications

Recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the 2023 active shooter attack at Charles University in Prague, and the 2025 knife attack at the University of Warsaw have significantly influenced preferences regarding the working and teaching environment. This paper outlines emotional responses to telework, coping strategies, and leadership implications in an international academic context. Qualitative primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with academic staff and students and analysed using content and thematic analysis. A broad spectrum of emotional reactions was observed; verbalisation of emotions is culture-specific. The main stressors identified are a lack of personal contact and a sense of insecurity.