Opportunities and Challenges of Remote Work Arrangement for Organizations in Post-Pandemic Scenario

Opportunities and Challenges of Remote Work Arrangement for Organizations in Post-Pandemic Scenario
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Contents Abstract 3 1.0. Introduction. 4 1.1. Problem Statement 4 1.2. Research Objectives. 4 1.3. Background. 5 1.3.1. Theoretical Foundations. 6 1.3.2. Empirical Evidence and Key Debates in Scholarly Literature. 8 2.0. Methodology. 11 2.2. Research Approach. 12 2.2. Research Strategy and Design. 12 2.3. Data Collection. 14 2.3.1. Theoretical Research. 14 2.3.2. Professional Literature. 14 2.3.3. Empirical Evidence. 15 2.4. Data Analysis. 16 2.5. Ethical Considerations. 17 3.0. Literature Review.. 18 3.1. Opportunities. 18 3.2. Challenges. 20 3.3. Role of Institutional Factors. 22 3.4. Future Trends. 23 4.0. Significance of Findings. 24 5.0. Conclusion. 29 5.1. Summary. 29 5.2. Conclusions. 30 5.3. Recommendations. 31 References. 33 Annotated Bibliography. 38
Abstract
This paper aims to investigate the opportunities and challenges associated with working from home (WFH) in the post-COVID scenario to inform the choice between continuing with the WFH model and returning to pre-pandemic on-site employment arrangement. A critical review of the literature followed by thematic analysis compared the positive and negative aspects of WFH from employees’ and managerial perspectives. It is found that autonomy and flexibility are positively associated with motivation for work and productivity, while these relations are mediated by engagement and enhanced commitment. Similarly, the factors related to the working environment, such as distractions and poor connectivity, remain potential moderators and remain among the potential challenges. Certain sociocultural, cultural, and infrastructural factors are also crucial in determining WFH's effectiveness in post-pandemic scenarios.
1.0. Introduction
1.1. Problem Statement
COVID-19-induced restrictions created unprecedented disruption for the businesses. As a way to cope with the situation and ensure the continuity of businesses, the organizations decided to rely on remote work arrangements to minimize human contact and keep the lockdowns from affecting the business processes (Buchanan et al., 2021). While work from home scenario brought several opportunities for employees and employers, such as reduced cost, enhanced flexibility, diversity, and enhanced scope for recruitment, it also posed critical challenges. Some challenges include barriers to effective communication, lack of supervision, lack of workplace-like camaraderie and psychological implications, cybersecurity issues, and difficulties maintaining the organization's cultural identity (Franken et al., 2021). In the post-pandemic scenario, several organizations are at a crossroads as they determine their future choices. The question arises whether the organizations should continue with the work-from-home arrangement or return to a pre-pandemic office-based setting.
For this purpose, conducting a comprehensive comparative analysis of each prospect's potential benefits and challenges is important. Since the corporate world is still in its premature transi...