Working Remotely, Social Isolation and Access to Support and Communication During Covid-19 Its Influence on Job Performance
Introduction:
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted workplaces worldwide, leading to a significant shift from traditional office environments to remote work. This shift has impacted employee performance, raising questions about how social isolation, lack of communication, and support affect job outcomes. This article explores the relationship between working remotely and job performance, using Engineering Pte. LTD. as a case study, and investigates how factors like social isolation, communication challenges, and remote work environments influence job productivity.
This study examines the impact of remote working, social isolation, and lack of communication on job performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on employees of Engineering Pte. LTD. The research found that all three factors significantly affect job performance, with a positive correlation between remote work and job outcomes. Remote work can lead to reduced supervision and communication, making information collection slower and increasing feelings of social isolation. However, it can also increase productivity for employees with well-structured work environments and strong communication tools.
The study utilized a questionnaire distributed to 226 employees, with data analysed using SPSS 25 and SmartPLS3. The results show that the lack of access to support and communication has the greatest impact on job performance, followed by social isolation and working remotely. These findings align with previous research, which highlighted both the benefits and challenges of remote work, including increased flexibility and the need for stronger support systems.
The research concludes that while remote work has the potential to boost job performance by offering flexibility, it also creates challenges such as social isolation and communication gaps. Organizations need to address these issues to maintain productivity, especially in industries not traditionally prepared for remote work. Recommendations include fostering better communication and support systems to help employees adapt to remote working environments.