The Impact of COVID-19-Prompted Virtual/Remote Work Environments on Employees’ Career Development: Social Learning Theory, Belongingness, and Self-Empowerment

Abstract

The Problem The COVID-19 pandemic caused many workers to move from brick and mortar buildings to virtual/remote environments. This created situations in which workers were forced to not only work virtually, but to work alone. The lack of physical contact with others has the potential to stifle efforts to remain engaged and consequently impede career development and progress. The Solution Virtual mentoring is essential for providing emotional support, creating opportunities for dialogue, helping employees discover a balance between work and life, implementing a reward system, and enhancing an overall sense of well-being and belongingness for employees working in virtual/remote environments. Self-efficacy, a component of social learning theory, is a useful concept to study virtual/remote workers who often become self-empowered and rely on their own cognitive abilities to perform in a virtual/remote environment to ensure successful career outcomes. The Stakeholders HRD professionals, managers, supervisors, and others involved in ensuring that workers are engaged, supported, and continuously building skills while working virtually.

Exploring the inclusive leadership and employee change participation relationship: the role of workplace belongingness and meaning-making

“…Özsungur, 2020). Quite recently, Yarberry and Sims (2021) noted the importance of belongingness by exploring the impact of COVID-19-prompted virtual/remote work environments on employees' career development. That is, in an era always on transformation, where organizations are not only trying to increase the flexibility of working arrangements, but are also working on offering new policies, managers should be extremely interested in boosting a sense of belonging among their employees (Chamorro-Premuzic and Berg, 2021).…”

Uncovering the complexities of remote leadership and the usage of digital tools during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative diary study

“…The focus on more team-oriented leadership practices (e.g. teambuilding) might result from the loss of the sense of belonging (Yarberry and Sims, 2021). When leaders work from home, they can contribute to teambuilding by ensuring that enough time is allotted to doing so and socialising, for example, building a shared view of objectives and commitment to a collaborative team culture (Holton, 2001).…”

Factors Influencing the Work Behavior of Village Health Volunteers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…According to our findings, the work environment significantly positively influences the work behavior of village health volunteers at .001, an outcome resulting from the psychological support from organizations, family, and the community that are valuable to people who are suffering from life crises by enhancing self-efficacy, harmony, encouragement, self-confidence, and self-empowerment (Juan et al, 2020;Tirapongprasert, & Samartkit, 2021). These act as psychological support when performing the duties unyieldingly because they feel a sense of social connection and involvement (Yarberry & Sims, 2021).…”