Let me go to the office! An investigation into the side effects of working from home on work-life balance

Abstract

PurposeThe disruptions brought by COVID-19 pandemic compelled a large part of public sector employees to remotely work from home. Home-based teleworking ensured the continuity of the provision of public services, reducing disruptions brought by the pandemic. However, little is known about the implications of telecommuting from home on the ability of remote employees to manage the work-life interplay. The article adopts a retrospective approach, investigating data provided by the sixth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) to shed lights into this timely topic.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical, quantitative research design was crafted. On the one hand, the direct effects of telecommuting from home on work-life balance were investigated. On the other hand, work engagement and perceived work-related fatigue were included in the empirical analysis as mediating variables which intervene in the relationship between telecommuting from home and work-life balance.FindingsHome-based telecommuting negatively affected the work-life balance of public servants. Employees who remotely worked from home suffered from increased work-to-life and life-to-work conflicts. Telecommuting from home triggered greater work-related fatigue, which worsened the perceived work-life balance. Work engagement positively mediated the negative effects of working from home on work-life balance.Practical implicationsTelecommuting from home has side effects on the ability of remote workers to handle the interplay between work-related commitments and daily life activities. This comes from the overlapping between private life and work, which leads to greater contamination of personal concerns and work duties. Work engagement lessens the perceptions of work-life unbalance. The increased work-related fatigue triggered by remote working may produce a physical and emotional exhaustion of home-based teleworkers.Originality/valueThe article investigates the side effects of remotely working from home on work-life balance, stressing the mediating role of work engagement and work-related fatigue.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Teacher Quality of Life: A Longitudinal Study from before and during the Health Crisis

“…This background has also been observed in other regions of the world [ 22 ], as well as among Chilean teachers, who reported a significant association between low QoL perception and the mental component summary dimension among younger teachers (≤44 years vs. ≥45 years) [ 15 ]. Additionally, during the pandemic, the scores dropped significantly; this may be due to the impact of teleworking on teachers’ health, as reported in other groups of workers, who indicated that it was a principal factor impacting psychosocial health and physical burnout due to stress and work exhaustion among employees [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. However, more studies are required to evaluate the effect of telework on teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as these results could also be due to other factors not explored in the present study, such as a decrease in social relations, domestic confinement, and a reduction in physical activity levels [ 31 ].…”

“…In this context, teleworking is a factor that has been a major challenge for some professionals, with a lack of control over working hours and increased psychosocial risks associated with stress and work overload [ 2 , 3 ]. Furthermore, teleworking has had a significant impact on professional and personal life (work–life balance), producing physical and mental exhaustion and burnout [ 4 ]. Additionally, the increase in digital technologies at work has increased stress in workers (techno-stress), which is associated with significant psychosocial demands [ 5 ].…”

Working from home during the COVID-19 outbreak in Sweden: effects on 24-h time-use in office workers

“…Voluntary WFH is often adopted by employees as a strategy to adapt work to private life, motivated by family and household needs [ 14 ], and may be practiced mainly by employees having favorable conditions for WFH in terms of family life, household chores and workstation at home. Less voluntary WFH during the pandemic, likely performed even under unfavorable conditions, may be associated with changed physical behaviors because of these contextual differences [ 15 , 16 ]. More research on the trade-off between positive and negative aspects of WFH is therefore needed as a basis for policy recommendations during and beyond the pandemic.…”

Does digitalization in higher education help to bridge the gap between academia and industry? An application to COVID-19

“…Synchronicity in time and space is becoming less important, and this may increase adaptability and flexibility (e.g., in terms of arrangements for meetings and working hours). However, it may also result in greater work-related fatigue, worsening the perceived work-life balance (Palumbo, 2020). This trend was observed with the digital economy before COVID-19; in this vein, Degryse (2016) recognized that the intensification of 'anytime, anywhere' work might blur the boundary between private life and working life, leading to stress and burnout.…”