Impact of Telecommuting on Employee Performance of Executives in the Telecommunication Industry in Sri Lanka: Mediating Effect of Work Life Balance and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

The emergence of the COVID -19 pandemic in 2020 has unexpectedly enforced many employees demanded to work from home for the first time. Work from Home in modern terminology is called telecommuting. Proper implementation of telecommuting will be a valuable management strategy for improving the effectiveness of organization by improving employee performance by means of providing greater flexibilities to the employees. This study examines a timely important issue which is impact of telecommuting on employee performance through sequential mediations through work life balance and job satisfaction. The study adapted the quantitative research approach and online structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The sample consisted of 335 executive employees in the telecommunication industry in Sri Lanka. Coefficient, correlation, and Regression analysis were used to analyze data gathered. The study revealed that there is a significant moderately weak positive relationship between telecommuting and employee performance, work life balance and job satisfaction, job satisfaction and employee performance as well as work life balance and employee performance. On that basis the researchers explored key recommendations to enhance the employee performance while promoting the telecommuting arrangement for employees. Key recommendations are to develop new HR policies to accommodate telecommuting, develop a new legislation framework assistive of telecommuting, implement key performance indicators monitoring mechanism, use hybrid mode of telecommuting arrangement, training for employees to handle digital tools, strengthen the IT policies specially to prevent the possible Cyberattacks and encouraging for employees to spend their time in spiritual activities to reduce the stress level and enhance the mental health.