• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.492-499
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• 2022

A large number of employees shifted to Work from home (WFH) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the construction workforce. The changes in workload and productivity due to WFH impact the work performance and economic outputs of companies. However, there are mixed results about the impacts of WFH on workload and productivity. In particular, limited studies focused on specific types of work of different occupations in the construction workforce. This study aims to explore the impacts of WFH on workload and productivity considering different types of work for the construction workforce in the U.S. After identifying three main occupations and five types of work, an online survey (N = 69) was distributed. Descriptive analysis showed that participants had less workload (0.82 hours/week) and lower productivity (9.69%) during WFH. Three occupations had varied changes due to the different types of work. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) indicated that there was no significant difference in workload, while productivity was decreased during WFH. In particular, the productivity of project-related work and communication and documentation decreased significantly. Overall, participants finished 2.85% less workload per week during WFH. The findings provide an insight into WFH in the construction workforce, which improves future remote or hybrid work arrangements in the construction industry.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.113-129
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• 2024

Purpose - This study aims to empirically identify the quantitative effects of work from home (WFH) on employee productivity using field data. Design/methodology/approach - Based on large-scale field data from a South Korean company which introduced the WFH arrangement in 2020, we conducted fixed effect and moderating effect analyses using individual-level panel data over sixty-three weeks. Findings - The empirical analysis generated several findings. It was found that overall, WFH has a positive effect on productivity. However, the productivity impact of WFH was found to vary depending on task characteristics. Specifically, WFH led to over 20% increase in productivity for simple and repetitive tasks. On the other hand, no significant productivity impact was observed for professional and knowledge-based tasks. Research implications or Originality - As the first study based on field data from South Korea, this study offers convincing causal evidence of the moderating impact of task characteristics on the relationship between WFH and productivity. Further, the above findings provide managers with practical insights concerning their work arrangement decisions.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.37-51
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• 2022

This study examines the relationship between flexible work and workers' work-life balance using data from the 23rd Korean Labor and Income Panel Study, with a focus on the impact of working from home (WFH) during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the analysis, WFH was found to have a positive effect on the happiness of workers, satisfaction with family relationships, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction related to job security for women. In addition, we looked at the changes in time use of WFH workers and non-WFH workers before and after COVID-19, with a particular focus on aspects such as time spent sleeping and on self-development, childcare, housework, exercise, and social gatherings. Compared to non-WFH workers, WFH workers increased the time spent on housework and childcare after COVID-19, with this trend more pronounced among women. The results of this study suggest that the effect of utilizing WFH may be halved for workers who have to take care of children and work at the same time, and that this effect may be greater for women. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen social support measures so that WFH workers who face a work-life conflict due to childcare can maintain work productivity and realize a work-life balance, and to ensure that the flexible work arrangement should not be a medium that reinforces traditional gender roles. Active policy efforts will be required to make sure this happens.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.9
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• pp.321-331
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• 2021

This study examines the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the role of Malaysian local wisdom called "Ugahari" in managing Work-Life Balance (WLB) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Data was obtained through online and offline surveys which were distributed to the agencies in the public and private sectors spread across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Pura Jaya. Overall 466 respondents were found to have given valid and complete responses. This research utilized the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. It was found that the use of the ICT during Work from Home (WFH) helped workers to have relatively high flexibility where they could easily expand or contract one domain to meet the demands of another domain. At the same time it also offered high permeability where aspects of one domain entered another domain. This encourages workers to integrate their roles and achieve broad work autonomy. Furthermore, this situation then gives rise to a high level of interference at the boundary between work and family domains. On the other hand Ugahari reduces the level of interference caused by ICT use and encourages workers to compartmentalize their respective roles. Thus, ICT and Ugahari's behavior can play a role and complement each other in the context of realizing worker well-being.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2023

Background: Online teaching and learning extend the duration of using gadgets such as mobile phones and tablets. A prolonged usage of these gadgets in a static position can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Therefore, this study aims to identify the risk factors related to musculoskeletal symptoms while using gadgets during work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional survey with online-based questionnaires was collected from the University of Indonesia, consisting of lecturers, students, and managerial staff. The minimum number of respondents was 1,080 and was defined by stratified random sampling. Furthermore, the dependent variable was musculoskeletal symptoms, while the independent were age, gender, job position, duration, activity when using gadgets, and how to hold them. Result: Most of the respondents had mobile phones but only 16% had tablets. Furthermore, about 56.7% have used a mobile phone for more than 10 years, while about 89.7% have used a tablet for less than 10 years. A multivariate analysis found factors that were significantly associated with MSD symptoms while using a mobile phone, such as age, gender, web browsing activity, work, or college activities. These activities include doing assignments and holding the phone with two hands with two thumbs actively operating. The factors that were significantly associated with MSD symptoms when using tablets were gender, academic position, social media activity, and placing the tablet on a table with two actively working index fingers. Conclusion: Therefore, from the results of this study it is necessary to have WFH and e-learning policies to reduce MSD symptoms and enhance productivity at work.