In employees’ favour or not?—The impact of virtual office platform on the work-life balances

Abstract

Social mobility and physical restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic have posed a severe challenge to operate under conventional nine to five work practices in a physical office setting. As a coping strategy for the survival of business, economy, and livelihoods, certain organisations were compelled to transform to virtual office platforms. This was a sudden transformation of work practices and consequently, impacting with mixed outcomes on lifestyles of workers. Given that very limited studies have shed light into the context, this study contributes immensely to fill research gap. The main objective of this study is to identify the impact of the virtual office platform on work-life balance in the Sri Lankan context. The methodology adopted for this study is quantitative. An online questionnaire to collect data was primarily distributed to employees in the virtual platform. Analysis of this study is based on three regression models and results ascertain that both working and non-working environments have highly significant impact on the work-life balance, although non-working environment has a bigger influence on work balance (Gender and no of children). Findings are useful and unique, enabling both employers and employees to adopt a focused approach to maximize the potential of virtual platforms to enhance employee well-being so that mutual benefits can be materialized.

Towards work-life balance or away? The impact of work from home factors on work-life balance among software engineers during Covid-19 pandemic

“…This result agrees with the findings of Panisoara and Serban [ 37 ] in a study conducted in Romania, that the presence of children has no significant impact on the work-life balance. Yet the result contradicts the findings of a Sri Lankan study conducted by Rathnaweera and Jayathilaka [ 1 ] claiming the contrary. The divergence of this result might be due to the differences in context.…”

“…As such, by considering the results, the expectations of the researchers have been fulfilled regarding this factor. Rathnaweera and Jayathilaka [ 1 ] in their study which was conducted in Sri Lanka, have considered individual workspace to be measured as a non-working environment factor, and found out that it does significantly impact on the work-life balance, where this study’s result is in line with. Golden [ 3 ] in his study too points out that to have a separated dedicated workplace within the home as a best practice when WFH.…”

“…Adhering to health precautions, many workers did not report to work, hence firms’ operations were on halt. With this situation, even in Sri Lanka almost every firm had to shut down either permanently or temporarily [ 1 ]. When government-imposed measures to limit hyperinflation, millions of individuals across the globe were compelled to Work from Home (WFH) [ 2 ].…”

“…In a study conducted in Sri Lanka examining virtual office platform’s effect on work-life balance, Rathnaweera and Jayathilaka [ 1 ] affirm that only limited research publications are available regarding the same variables, concerning the Sri Lankan context. Thereby, as far as we (researchers) are aware, no study has yet been conducted in the above-mentioned sphere of research, on the scope of software engineers, in Sri Lanka.…”

The Role Of Work Stress In Mediating The Influence Of Workload And Work Balance On Employee Performance of The Regional Development Planning Agency Of Aceh Province During The Covid-19 Pandemic

“…(Greenhaus & Callanan, 2006),(Kim, 2014),(Rathnaweera & Jayathilaka, 2021) and (DeCenzo et al, 2020) explaining work balance can be measured using indicators in the form of: (1) Personal life can influence individuals in making decisions at the office, (2) Can balance time between work in the office and family at home, (3) The responsibilities towards family affect performance at work, (4) All workers are involved in work in the Office, and (5) Always complete the tasks assigned from the Office on time.…”