Effects of Telecommuting on Employee Motivation and Productivity During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Of New Era Publication Corporation, Namibia

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic brought global changes to all spheres of life, including the world of work. One of the major changes was the embracement of the telecommuting concept. The employment field is by nature highly regulated by labour laws, contracts and policies. Introducing changes which affect existing laws, contracts and policies without negotiating with employees can affect production and staff morale notwithstanding the fact that international laws and pandemics take precedence and override other statutes. This study investigated the effects of telecommuting on employee motivation and productivity. The study involved 67 respondents. Mixed research methodologies (Pragmatism) were used for the study with questionnaires and interviews being the main data collection instruments. The research findings showed that despite not having been consulted, a majority of respondents were in favour of telecommuting as a Covid-19 pandemic mitigation strategy because it provided for social distancing and it delivered the advantage of work-life balance to employees. The study also found that telecommuting, also called working from home (WFH), raised staff morale and motivated employees to increase productivity. This research concluded that telecommuting is the best mitigatory approach for most office-based jobs during pandemics such as Covid-19. The study also concluded that while telecommuting motivates employees and increases production, it only works best for a certain category of employees whose daily duties are computer technology based. The study recommended that even in the absence of pandemics, organisations such as New Era Publication Corporation could still resort to telecommuting as one of the best corporate practices as it increases productivity and helps with cost-cutting in times of financial crisis