Theoretical background: Remote work has been of interest to managers since the introduction of new information and communication technologies (ICT). In the initial period, it was treated as a ...privilege of the employee, which few deserve. Therefore, this type of work was not very popular. The COVID-19 pandemic period changed the attitude towards remote work, it became a necessity for many organizations. However, its use gave rise to many new problems, which both employers and employees had to face. Post-pandemic reality poses new challenges for those interested in its further use. Purpose of the article: The aim of the article is to examine the attitude of employers to the five challenges related to remote work selected by the authors: the method of monitoring work, the level of employee support by employers, the assessment of work efficiency, work safety and data protection, and the intention to continue remote work after the pandemic. Research methods: The research was carried out using the standardized questionnaire interviews based on the CATI method. The questionnaire used in the research contained 23 closed questions of single and multiple choice, as well as 7 metric questions, allowing to identify the size, type of business, age and the structure of the company’s ownership capital. The research was carried out in the period May–June 2021 on a population of 248 entrepreneurs divided into micro, small, medium and large companies. Main findings: Remote work, in particular hybrid work, is likely to become more common in enterprises after the end of the pandemic crisis. Unfortunately, the provisions of labour law do not keep pace with the dynamics of changes in the organization of work in enterprises. Remote work poses new challenges for managers who have to deal with another, probably not yet well recognized management method. Therefore, it requires managers to develop new skills, a management style in the ICT environment oriented towards the results of work, and not time and workload. New tools for measuring work efficiency need to be developed. We also have to face the problem of trust, procrastination and many other new challenges. The model of remote work means the need to develop new internal procedures in the company, because this type of work requires a different organization of duties and tasks for employees with whom there is no physical contact. The challenge will be to strike a balance between a “tight” or “loose” organizational culture, known as “tight-loose ambidexterity”. It also seems that employers will have to assume a much larger range of responsibilities for this group of workers, ranging from a wide range of different training courses to financial support.
The COVID-19 pandemic quickly accelerated the opportunity for those in many professions to work remotely. These virtual opportunities continue to be available to some nurses and other healthcare ...providers, but limited information exists in the literature about nurses’ perceptions of remote work. This article presents perspectives of nurses, most of whom worked remotely in some capacity, and who shared their perceptions on facilitators and barriers regarding remote work. These nurses also ranked both effectiveness of nurse’s remote work and of remote meeting participation for professional nursing governance, in their opinion. Top facilitators were organizational and technological support for both remote workers and those in the hospital setting required to interface with remote workers; time savings; and financial savings. The ability to work remotely contributed to work-life balance. Top barriers were a feeling of disconnectedness from the organization; ineffective technology; and lack of organizational support, including lack of leader presence. Opportunities exist for needs assessment of organizational support of remote workers, evidence to inform nurse types and tasks for remote and hybrid work, as well as remote leadership models.
Abstract As the COVID‐19 pandemic wanes, many organizations are asking employees to return to the office concerned that more extensive remote work could hurt employee morale and productivity. ...Employees, however, prefer to work remotely because of the flexibility it provides. In light of such competing perspectives, we conducted a meta‐analysis examining remote work intensity's (RWI) effects on employee outcomes. RWI refers to the extensiveness of remote work ranging from one or two days a week to full‐time remote work. We propose a dual pathway model linking RWI to employee outcomes arguing that it has indirect but opposing effects on the same outcomes via two mediators—perceived autonomy and isolation. Findings from a meta‐analysis of RWI's effects based on 108 studies ( k = 110, N = 45,288) support the dual pathway model. Allaying organizational concerns about remote work, RWI had overall small but beneficial effects on multiple consequential employee outcomes including job satisfaction, organizational commitment, perceived organizational support, supervisor‐rated performance, and turnover intentions. We also conducted a meta‐analysis of the effects of remote work use (RWU), a binary construct taking on two values—remote workers (users) versus office‐based workers (non‐users of remote work). Findings from the RWU meta‐analysis based on 62 studies ( k = 63, N = 41,904) suggest that remote workers generally have better outcomes than their office‐based colleagues. Altogether, findings suggest that remote work offers modest upsides with limited downsides—even for those who spend more time working away from the office.
Suddenly, COVID-19 has changed the world and the way people work. Companies had to accelerate something they knew was imminent in the future, but not immediate and extremely humongous. This situation ...poses a huge challenge for companies to survive and thrive in this complex business environment and for employees, who must adapt to this new way of working. An effective e-leadership, which promotes companies' adaptability, is needed. This study investigates the existing knowledge on teleworking and e-leadership; and analyzes the supposed challenges. The literature review shows that companies with effective e-leadership can view teleworking as an opportunity. It is advantageous for not only companies' productivity but also the environment and people who work remotely. However, a traditional or no leadership can result in some risks. Thriving in remote work environments implies that managers must adjust the companies' structure, making them less hierarchical, and developing new abilities to establish a strong and trustworthy relationship with their employees to maintain their competitiveness, while retaining a genuine concern for their employees' well-being. Similarly, successful e-leadership must be able to consolidate and lead effective virtual teams to accomplish organizational goals. This study contributes to the literature and leaders during the pandemic.
Remote work has been of interest to managers since the implementation of new information and communication technologies (ICTs). During the initial period, it was treated as an employee’s privilege or ...even a luxury and as such it was not a popular practice. The COVID-19 pandemic and the intervening period have changed attitudes toward remote work, as it became a necessity for many organisations. However, in connection with its use, many new, previously unknown problems have arisen, such as: the organisation of remote work, the supervision and monitoring of work performance, and employee support. The present research was conducted using a standardised questionnaire computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) method in May–June 2021 on a population of 248 enterprises, divided into micro, small, medium-sized and large entities. The research data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic which, on the one hand, provided an exceptional opportunity to fill in the theoretical gaps that were existing in this field; however, on the other hand, it could be burdened with certain flaws due to the context of the pandemic. An enterprise’s attitude to remote work has a positive influence on the efficiency of the remote work, the control of the remote work and the remote work support, with the strongest impact exerted on the last of the factors mentioned. A better attitude to remote work influences, to the largest degree, an enterprise’s support for performing work from remote locations outside of corporate offices. Among the enterprises that were surveyed, the following were most frequently indicated as elements of such support: additional office equipment provided to an employee, remote work training, and the installation of additional computer programs. Financial support was declared by about 11% of the enterprises and it usually took the form of a remote work allowance or funds to cover the costs of purchasing equipment or paying for the Internet.
The remote work model had been functioning before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the economic space regardless of the size of enterprises, however, its largest intensity was observed in ...large enterprises. Yet, its application scale was incomparably lower than the condition that was necessitated by the introduction of epidemiological isolation. The need for many employees to immediately switch to this model of working increased the likelihood of potential problems related to a proper level of digital competencies in utilising remote work tools. The aim of the article is to identify changes that have taken place in large enterprises as part of the use of tools for remote work at the time of COVID-19 pandemic. The authors refer to digital competencies of the executive staff in the scope of remote work and their experiences with the functioning of tools for this type of work. These issues have been analysed for the time before the pandemic and for the period of its duration. The authors have presented the results of the research conducted in Poland in 2022. They demonstrate that a vast majority of the executive staff in large enterprises worked remotely during the pandemic. A progress in the scope of digital competencies among the survey respondents has been recorded, which was driven by the necessity to move work into the remote space, and organising proper training in the enterprises. A significant group of the respondents indicates willingness to work in a hybrid mode when the pandemic finishes.
With the advancement of information and communication technologies (ICTs), employees can work remotely without any hindrance. Moreover, remote work provides organizations an option to remain ...operationally active during turbulent situations. Remote work flexibility can be facilitated by the organizational top management team support. The objective of this study is to examine if remote work flexibility enhances organization performance, as few studies have explored this connection before. Also, this study investigates the moderating role of top management team support and organization policy towards remote work flexibility. With the help of existing literature and theory, we have developed a model conceptually and then validated it using the PLS-SEM technique on data from 307 respondents. The study finds that remote work flexibility enhances organizational performance significantly, and organization policy and top management support play crucial roles in implementing organizations’ remote work policies.
Abstract Background The global work landscape has undergone a significant transformation in the aftermath of the pandemic in 2019, resulting in the widespread adoption of remote working or working ...from home (WFH) practices. This paradigm shift has necessitated the adaptation of business strategies and the implementation of novel remote work policies by human resources (HR) and management departments within technology companies. Nevertheless, this rapid transition in the work model has introduced a range of benefits and drawbacks that warrant careful examination in terms of their impact on efficiency, challenges, recruitment processes, training, and psychological well-being. Research aims The primary objective of this study is to investigate and comprehend the impact of remote work applications within technology companies, specifically focusing on the changes experienced by management departments, challenges, recruitment practices, communication and engagement strategies, performance evaluation methods, and training programs. Methodology The study sample comprised of nine executives/managers who were currently employed in five distinct multinational technology companies. The research approach employed was qualitative in nature, utilizing a combination of interview, document review, and observation techniques. Findings The findings reveal varied impacts of remote work on organizational functioning in technology companies. Challenges in functions, responsibilities, and employee engagement were observed. Online evaluation systems and meetings were commonly adopted. The research supports the hypothesis and emphasizes the need for adaptation and tailored approaches in remote work environments.
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