To Work or Not to Work Remotely? Work-To-Family Interface Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: This paper provides a brief, evidence-based reflection on two experiences with remote working, old-normal remote working and mandatory work-from-home during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the per-spective of applied psychology in work and organizations, we used self-report instruments to assess variations in work-family conflict and enrichment, frequency of information and communication technologies (ICT) use, and recovery in two longitudinal studies. Methods: The first study involved 148 individuals from the technical -administrative staff of a large Italian University during an experimentation of remote working (one day per week) in 2019. The second study, conducted during the first lockdown in 2020, involved 144 individuals (convenience sam-ple, heterogeneous by profession). All participants completed a self-report online questionnaire two times six months apart. Results: The two studies are not directly comparable, but they provide a dynamic idea of the effects of the two types of work arrangements. In Study 1, an experimental remote working condition (one day per week), participants reported decreased work-family conflict and improved recovery experiences. Study 2 noted a slight deterioration in work-family enrichment in the emergency remote working condition. Conclusions: These findings showed the usefulness of monitoring specific indicators related to the work-life interface using validated instruments and in a longitudinal perspective to assess each experience. We briefly discuss these aspects to inform future organizational deci-sions and actions for the new normal.

Automated summary

This paper reflects on two experiences with remote working, old-normal remote working and mandatory work-from-home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The studies found that remote working may have effects on work-family conflict, information and communication technologies use, and work recovery.