Remote work adoption’s influence on engagement, job satisfaction, discretionary effort and turnover intention : insights from remote workers in a post-Covid-19 pandemic business environment

Abstract

While the concept of remote work has existed since the 1970s adoption by organisations has been limited. This rapidly changed during 2020, when lockdowns imposed by governments across the globe to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus forced many organisations to close their offices and adopt remote work. As a result, many organisations and workers were exposed to remote work and have found both advantages and disadvantages of the practice. With the Covid-19 pandemic now subsiding and restrictions lifted this research seeks to provide insights into the impact of remote work on workers in a post-pandemic business context. This research study employed a qualitative research methodology, with 16 in-depth semistructured interviews conducted with workers who have recently experienced remote work. These interviews explore the lived experiences of the participants and focused on the impact of remote work on the key constructs of engagement, job satisfaction, discretionary effort and intention to turnover. The results from this study provide empirical evidence to support the body of knowledge on remote work and further contributes through the analysis of remote work in a postpandemic business environment. The research report also provides practical implications and considerations for management to consider when adopting remote work.