Work-From-Home or Pre-Pandemic Office-Based Setting

Research Paper Outline
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1.0. Introduction
1.1. Problem Statement
COVID-19-induced restrictions created unprecedented disruption for the businesses. 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 transition phase, it is challenging to locate reliable evidence and use it as the base for the decision. The theoretical debates are also divided in this regard, outlining that the remote work arrangement is a dual-edged sword (Doliver, 2022). These indicators warrant a detailed inquiry into the opportunities and potential costs associated with the remote work arrangement in the post-pandemic scenario.
1.2. Research Objectives
The research compares the opportunities and challenges associated with remote work arrangements in post-pandemic scenarios to help managers make informed choices. This aim is broken down into the following key objectives and research questions to serve as the roadmap for the study:
1.2.1. Objectives
* To identify the opportunities associated with remote work arrangements.
* To identify the challenges associated with the remote work arrangement.
* To compare the opportunities and challenges to help concerned managers inform their choices.
* To provide recommendations from organizational and human resource management perspectives based on the comparative analysis between the opportunities and challenges of remote work arrangement in post-pandemic scenarios.
1.2.2. Research Questions
* Which factors have contributed to the preference for remote work arrangement in the post-pandemic scenario?
* Which factors associated with remote work arrangement can contribute to organizational performance?
* What challenges do human resource managers face while managing people remotely?
* How communication issues related to remote work arrangements can affect team performance?
* Which management strategies are helpful while dealing with the challenges associated with remote work arrangements?
1.3. Background
The recent research considering the trends of work-from-home (WFH) in the US suggests that approximately 12% of the total population of employees rely on the WFH model while 28% use the hybrid model (mix of remote and in-office working). The findings also suggest that the number of employees relying on remote work arrangements will rise to 22% of total employees in the US by 2025 (Haan, 2023). These findings indicate that trends of WHF are on the rise in the US, implying that a decent percentage of employers are treating it as a new normal. However, the prospects of the growth of this trend indicate a minor change. Instead, the shift from in-office to remote work arrangement is forecasted at a slow and steady rate, outlining the hesitancy of most employers considering the risks and challenges attached to remote work arrangement compared to in-office working. Therefore, it is vital to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the theoretical underpinning and empirical research that may offer insights relevant to the prospects of remote working in the post-pandemic scenario.
1.3.1. Theoretical Foundations
Even though there is a vast range of theories that may relate to the chosen context, two theories that centrally intersect with key dimensions of remote work arrangement and its potential outcomes are discussed as follows:
Self Determination Theory
Self-determination theory is a psychological consideration of human mentality and the factors determining growth and development. The theory assumes that human development depends on autonomy and competence (Gagné, 2014). In other words, the theory highlights that autonomy and competence are interrelated, and people tend to perform better and have faster development and growth if provided with an environment free of external interference (Gagné, 2014).
While seen in the light of this theory, remote work arrangement appears as a potential source of employee development and growth. It means that the employees can be groomed better by realizing and actualizing their competencies and learning to take responsibility when allowed to work independently in a distraction-free environment. Rigby and Ryan (2018) have investigated the interaction between self-determination theory and remote work framework. The researchers conclude that the theory offers rich insights into how enhanced autonomy resulting from the flexible work environment can contribute to the employees’ commitment and motivation.
However, a potential limitation while applying this theory is the contextual variations associated with remote work arrangements. For example, it needs to answer how employees with low skills can perform better in WFH arrangements than in-office arrangements when they need continuous instructions and support from their fellow workers and supervisors.
Herzberg's Factor Theory
Herzberg's dual-factor theory classifies workplace-related factors into two categories. One of these factors is the hygiene-related factors, such as food, salary, job security, and other similar fundamental benefits. These factors are categorized as the conditions necessary to avoid dissatisfaction. On the other hand, Herzberg believes that key motivational factors are beyond the hygiene-related factors and are rooted in the work conditions and providing the employees with an environment where they can improve their competencies while acting responsibly (Richard, 2013). This theory relates to the WFH as employees are supposed to take responsibility while working unassisted and unsupervised (or less supervised than in an office-based arrangement). Similarly, the added flexibility of the WFH environment can be a source of intrinsic motivation for employees, promoting positive job behaviors.
However, while applying this model, a potential limitation is the need for a sense of belongingness inherent to on-site work where employees actively engage with their colleagues and managers. Since the sense of belonging is placed among the motivational factors by Herzberg, it is still questionable how it compares with the other motivational factors associated with the WFH arrangement.
1.3.2. Empirical Evidence and Key Debates in Scholarly Literature
Zappalà et al. (2021) conducted a case study of an Italian municipality where certain employees and their respective managers participated in a remote work program before the pandemic. The case study aimed to gain insights into the program and recommend guidelines for the post-pandemic period to the concerned municipality. The researchers interviewed 14 employees and managers engaged in remote work programs through a semi-structured interview to learn about their experience and used interpretive techniques to analyze the data. The participants generally shared high satisfaction with the program, with flexibility, time management, and reduced commute being the highest-rated characteristics of a remote work environment. These findings created optimistic indications of WFH arrangement in the post-pandemic era for the organization.
Caligiuri & De Cieri (2021), in their survey of 944 employees, agree with the above finding while also providing support for vital theoretical ideas. For example, the researchers have found that the need for autonomy and improved work-life balance are critical triggers for the preference for working from home from employees' perspective. The autonomy and improved work-life balance contribute to employees' motivation and reinforce their preference for WFH. Another study by Smite et al. (2023) indicates that the WFH is likely to emerge as a new normal post-pandemic as the companies are experimenting with different variations of the extent to which employees are granted flexibility. The research suggests that the general impression of the remote work arrangement is positive. However, it surrounds uncertainties due to a limited body of evidence. Therefore, as the companies continue to experiment and learn through a feedback loop, a more precise and structured approach to WFH will be possible to establish in the future. Therefore, the trend is likely to continue.
However, Manko (2021), in his survey synthesized with the literature review, has found that the success of remote work during the post-pandemic period is contingent on the planners' and managers' success in implementing the right control and policies regarding the work arrangement. The study outlines vital benefits along with potential roadblocks. For example, WFH is a source of productivity and enhanced performance due to flexibility and autonomy-related factors; it is found challenging when the teams are supposed to deal with complex and loosely specified tasks. The team's inability to improvise effectively for loosely specified tasks negatively affects the team's motivation and has disruptive implications. Therefore, the managers and planners will have to consider relevant controls and elements that could contribute to the team's effectiveness in dealing with complex and loosely specified tasks in the WFH arrangement to improve the prospects of the ubiquity and continuity of this model.
The researchers have also highlighted other potential challenges, such as changes in the psychological contracts, difficulties in monitoring and supervising the employees working from home, and poor flow of communication, resulting in a lack of complementarity and responsiveness (Franken et al., 2021). These factors explain the slow pace of the growth of WFH arrangement despite a few potential benefits from employers' and employees' perspectives. Seva et al. (2021) have conducted a detailed overview of the benefits and key issues facing the WFH arrangement during the pandemic and have found that flexibility and enhanced efficiency are among the key benefits from employers' perspectives. However, employees have faced critical psychological burdens due to isolation. Similarly, employees without spouses and young children at home found it more challenging to manage their work and overcome the stress. Therefore, from a psychological perspective, employers must find solutions to the problems resulting from the isolation associated with remote work arrangements. Aside from this, Himawan et al. (2022) have looked at the problem through a sociocultural lens and have found that in the majority of Asian countries, WFH does not resonate with the cultural dimensions of workplace norms that are generally intertwined into autocratic styles of leadership. It means that management's lack of supervision and inability to control the workplace in remote arrangements remains a key concern for organizations in such cultures.
Since it is less than two years since the pandemic-related restrictions have eased and normalcy has returned, limited evidence is available about the effectiveness of WFH in post-pandemic scenarios. Similarly, even though a handful of studies deal with remote work arrangements concerning the post-pandemic period (Franken et al., 2021; Himawan et al., 2022; Seva et al., 2021), they are focused on one or a few variables, concluding without considering the interplay among factors at different levels of management. Therefore, there is a gap in the literature and a need for research that comprehensively compares the opportunities and threats using a comprehensive approach to present the bigger picture of the scenario and comprehensively educate the opinion of concerned practitioners and managers.
2.0. Methodology
This section describes and justifies the methods chosen for the proposed study. It ensures that each choice aligns with the nature and objectives of the study and can feasibly be implemented given the resource constraints and all other factors. The research methodology is modeled after Saunders et al. (2011) onion, with key items from the outer and inner layers included. The onion is visualized below for further illustration:
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: Saunders' Research Onion
(Saunders et al., 2011)
2.2. Research Approach
Two broad types of research approaches are induction and deduction. The inductive technique uses specific data to generate broad generalizations, articulate new theories and ideas, or explain a problem (Saunders, 2011). On the other hand, deduction involves testing the existing theories and ideas using extensive datasets to specifically answer a research question or provide specific solutions (Franken et al., 2021).
It is important to note that the post-COVID scenario is still in its initial phase, and the trends still have to shape up to provide a definite long-term picture (Franken et al., 2021). Similarly, the research dealing with the areas related to post-COVID implications of any phenomenon or idea is also under-researched. As discussed before, the research is in the process of helping the managers ascertain whether continuing with the WFH arrangement is more feasible or returning to the pre-pandemic in-office arrangement. Therefore, it is appropriate to rely on deduction as the problem needs to be explained and articulated.
2.2. Research Strategy and Design
The research strategy helps find the roadmap to the study by dictating the data collection strategies. Some of the widely used research strategies include interviews, surveys, observation, experimentation, qualitative research, and panel discussi...