REMOTE WORK AMONG EMPLOYEES: IS IT A MAKE OR BREAK?

Abstract

The world faced a mandatory switch from the traditional mode of work to the remote model to comply with the government and health guidelines to help contain the spread of the Covid19 virus. There were pieces of evidence that the world could make the best of advanced technology available to be used. However, only a few studies were made about adopting or refusing this disrupted work model. Businesses that were willing to keep playing their role in the marketplace did not have choices other than learn and adapt themselves and their employees to this new scenario. The critical period of mandatory challenges seems to be over, but practising professional activities remotely has been perceived as the new normal in employees’ daily lives. Considering a normal professional scenario where employees and businesses are free to decide how the approach of work will occur, this study aims to bring up reasons that implicate people’s decision-making to work remotely. By doing so, companies can consider these grounds to filter the perception and make effective decisions when drawing strategies to either embrace or discourage the change from remote work to the traditional mode or viceversa. In this scope, we are considering the type of occupation that can be performed remotely, as well as some features that impact positively and negatively the offsite workers’ daily life. After conducting the primary and secondary research, it was found that in the free will scenario, employees are likely to be in favour of adopting the remote work model for good. For such reason, if managers are looking into adopting the opposite direction, it is highly recommended that they look into each motivation aspect to find rooms to design and develop their strategies.