Organization of remote work in the context of digitalization

Abstract

The analysis of the remote work organization indicates the certain reserves in the field of professional activity, manifested in three groups of effects: individual-personal, social-psychological and organizational-managerial. Individual-personal effects are connected with the professional’s personality transformation under the influence of professional environment digitalization: a change in the emotional side of the activity, experiencing a lack of information about the colleagues’ work, feedback about their role in the overall result. As a result, there appears a fear of missing out; a decrease of analytical thinking and critical perception of professional situations; an increase of physical and psychological fatigue and emotional burnout. Social-psychological effects are due to the peculiarities of interaction in digital technologies conditions, which generates new and modernizes the existing social and cultural communication norms and network etiquette. At online conferences the ratio of visual and auditory components of nonverbal communication changes, the role of listening increases, and there is a greater focus on content in comparison with face-to-face communication. The differences in labor productivity at different communication modes are revealed. Informal interactions, the sense of professional and organizational involvement are reduced. The work-life balance is disturbed. Organizational and managerial effects of remote work are associated with the implementation of labor regulation, control and assessment, staff motivation, forms of employment, organizational membership and commitment, job satisfaction, trust in teams, the composition and structure of work teams, leadership, organization of workplaces and business communications. Many of the organizational factors are closely interconnected.

Rethinking the Unthinkable: A Delphi Study on Remote Work during COVID-19 Pandemic

“…When employees work remotely, they need reliable and high-quality technology to perform their tasks effectively. Outdated equipment and insufficient IT support can lead to delays, technical difficulties, and frustration for workers (Sheveleva and Rogov 2021). Employers can ensure that their workers have the necessary technology and support by regularly updating software and hardware, providing access to necessary tools and programs, and offering technical assistance when needed.…”