TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors influencing adjustment to remote work
T2 - Employees’ initial responses to the covid-19 pandemic
AU - van Zoonen, Ward
AU - Sivunen, Anu
AU - Blomqvist, Kirsimarja
AU - Olsson, Thomas
AU - Ropponen, Annina
AU - Henttonen, Kaisa
AU - Vartiainen, Matti
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/7/1
Y1 - 2021/7/1
N2 - The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted when, where, and how employees work. Drawing on a sample of 5452 Finnish employees, this study explores the factors associated with employees’ abrupt adjustment to remote work. Specifically, this study examines structural factors (i.e., work independence and the clarity of job criteria), relational factors (i.e., interpersonal trust and social isolation), contextual factors of work (i.e., change in work location and perceived disruption), and communication dynamics (i.e., organizational communication quality and communication technology use (CTU)) as mechanisms underlying adjustment to remote work. The findings demonstrate that structural and contextual factors are important predictors of adjustment and that these relationships are moderated by communication quality and CTU. Contrary to previous research, trust in peers and supervisors does not support adjustment to remote work. We discuss the implications of these findings for practice during and beyond times of crisis.
AB - The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted when, where, and how employees work. Drawing on a sample of 5452 Finnish employees, this study explores the factors associated with employees’ abrupt adjustment to remote work. Specifically, this study examines structural factors (i.e., work independence and the clarity of job criteria), relational factors (i.e., interpersonal trust and social isolation), contextual factors of work (i.e., change in work location and perceived disruption), and communication dynamics (i.e., organizational communication quality and communication technology use (CTU)) as mechanisms underlying adjustment to remote work. The findings demonstrate that structural and contextual factors are important predictors of adjustment and that these relationships are moderated by communication quality and CTU. Contrary to previous research, trust in peers and supervisors does not support adjustment to remote work. We discuss the implications of these findings for practice during and beyond times of crisis.
KW - Contextual factors
KW - COVID-19 pandemic
KW - Relational factors
KW - Remote work
KW - Structural factors
KW - Work adjustment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108810702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph18136966
DO - 10.3390/ijerph18136966
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85108810702
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 18
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
IS - 13
M1 - 6966
ER -