Teleworking and sustainable behaviour in the context of COVID-19: the case of Lithuania

Abstract

COVID-19 played a significant role in the spread of telework worldwide, changing people’s lives and behaviour. The paper aims to identify how teleworking affected the sustainable behaviour of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research design applies a multi-method approach, combining systematic and comparative scientific literature analysis and a semi-structured interview. The authors of the paper present the theoretical conceptual model, which illustrates links between teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic and the sustainable behaviour of employees. The results of empirical research revealed that teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic changed employee behaviour in economic, environmental and social dimensions. Positive changes were identified due to reduced commuting and shopping; decreased costs for transport, food, clothing, and beauty services; better access to healthy and nutritious food; better opportunities for professional development. On the contrary, costs for home energy and household waste increased. Adverse effects on employees’ physical and mental health have been identified due to teleworking and COVID-19. Despite the identified negative effects, employees would like to continue teleworking even after the pandemic.

Teleworking Effects on Mental Health—A Systematic Review and a Research Agenda

“…On the one hand, teleworking is cited as a source of well-being, quality of life, and job satisfaction [ 57 , 60 ]. However, on the other hand, this type of work can also have adverse effects on the psychological and mental health of individuals [ 3 , 94 ]. The literature highlights that working from home can quickly become critical for many workers, who can develop emotional, psychological, and mental problems [ 18 , 31 , 33 ].…”

“…After the outbreak of the coronavirus in March 2020, teleworking has become a common practice in all societies around the world [ 1 ]. Currently, evidence of the features of this new way of working points to an increasing number of companies that, driven by the search for more efficient teams and work processes, performance, and productivity, have chosen to put their employees to work from home [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. According to recent statistical data from the International Labor Organization [ 5 ], in the European Union, an average of 3 out of 10 employees work remotely and assume, autonomously, their professional activity, managing time, and execution of tasks.…”

“…In recent years, teleworking has gained prominence in all sectors, driven by the pandemic crisis, and, according to Thevenon [ 1 ], a gradual growth of this labor phenomenon is expected. However, despite the numerous benefits, e.g., [ 6 , 16 ], working remotely poses challenges for employees and may even pose a risk to the physical and mental health of professionals [ 3 , 17 , 18 ]. Changes in working conditions [ 19 , 20 ], isolation, monotony due to lack of coexistence and face-to-face interaction [ 21 , 22 , 23 ], the feeling of being forgotten by the company, career stagnation, and imbalance in the management of personal life with professionals represent strong constraints, which are identified as being at the origin of the many negative consequences for the psychological health of workers [ 24 , 25 ].…”

“…Telework is defined as a work pattern that implies that employees perform their functions outside the company to which they are contractually bound using technological and digital tools and equipment [5]. This recurrent organization of work, which influences management strategies and company culture, is recognized for offering advantages for both companies and employees [3,[6][7][8], among them: reducing the time and costs associated with travel to the place of work, greater flexibility in working hours [9,10], autonomy in the management and execution of tasks [11,12], increased quality and efficiency of production, greater security, and better possibilities for articulating professional and personal life [6,13]. Several studies, e.g., [14,15], have shown that teleworking induces a greater level of satisfaction in employees when compared to individuals who do not practice this modality of work.…”