REMOTE WORKING A STIMULUS TO WORK-LIFE BALANCE.

 

REMOTE WORKING A STIMULUS TO WORK-LIFE BALANCE by Fanuel Mwashumbe 23-1843.

Remote working has emerged as a pivotal catalyst in redefining work-life balance, transforming conventional work environments significantly. The modern era has witnessed a remarkable revolution in remote work, presenting an opportunity to delve into its role in augmenting the equilibrium between professional commitments and personal life. This essay explores how remote work elevates work-life balance while spotlighting companies that have effectively embraced remote work policies.

Research studies after the COVID-19 pandemic have extensively examined diverse perspectives on remote work as perceived by employees (McTaggart & McLaughlin, 2020). One of the primary features empowering work-life balance through remote work is its facilitation of flexible work hours. This flexibility allows employees to orchestrate their work schedules to align with their individual preferences and personal needs (Etheridge, Wang, & Tang, 2020). Buffer, an exemplar in this domain, champions remote work by granting its workforce the autonomy to create schedules optimized for productivity and personal responsibilities, thereby enhancing work-life balance (Bloom, 2020).

A substantial benefit of remote work lies in eliminating the daily commute, as observed in the case of Automattic, the entity behind WordPress. The absence of a daily commute saves time and contributes to overall well-being, fostering a healthier work-life balance among employees (Teevan et al., 2021). Additionally, remote work has proven highly efficient in reducing interruptions, a testament to its ability to boost efficiency and improve work-life balance, as evident in the success story of GitLab (Golden & Gajendran, 2018).

Moreover, remote work holds the potential to bolster mental health and well-being among employees. Basecamp, an advocate for remote work, emphasizes the importance of a healthy work-life balance, offering employees the choice to work from their preferred location (Allen, Golden, & Shockley, 2015). By providing such flexibility, companies like Basecamp are instrumental in contributing positively to the mental well-being of their workforce.

In summary, remote work has emerged as a transformative force in modern work practices, offering flexible hours, eliminating commutes, enhancing productivity, and prioritizing employee well-being. Through examples like Buffer, Automattic, GitLab, and Basecamp, remote work benefits companies and significantly enhances their employees' overall well-being and work-life balance. In a dynamically evolving work landscape, remote work is pivotal in harmonizing professional commitments with personal life.

 

References.

McTaggart, V.; McLaughlin, C. Remote Working the New Reality. 2020. Available online: RemoteWorkingtheNewRealityConferencePaper8 thDec2020.pdf (accessed on 1 October 2022).

Etheridge, B.; Wang, Y.; Tang, L. Worker Productivity during Lockdown and Working from Home: Evidence from Self-Reports. Covid Econ. 2020, 52, 118–151.

Bloom, B.N. How Working from Home Works out; National Bureau of Economic Research: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2020.

Teevan, J.; Hecht, B.; Jaffe, S.; Baym, N.; Bergmann, R.; Brodsky, M.; Buxton, B.; Butler, J.; Coleman, A.; Czerwinski, M.; et al. The new future of work: Research from Microsoft into the Pandemic's Impact on Work Practices. Microsoft Intern. Rep. 2021. Available online: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/uploads/prod/2021/01/NewFutureOfWorkReport.pdf (accessed on 29 June 2022).

Golden, T.; Gajendran, R. Unpacking the Role of a Telecommuter's Job in Their Performance: Examining Job Complexity, Problem Solving, Interdependence, and Social Support. J. Bus. Psychol. 2018, 34, 55–69. [CrossRef]

Allen, T.D.; Golden, T.D.; Shockley, K.M. How Effective Is Telecommuting? Assessing the Status of Our Scientific Findings. Psychol. Sci. Public Interest 2015, 16, 40–68. [CrossRef] [PubMed]