UNIVERSITY OF BAHRAIN COLLAGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT

UNIVERSITY OF BAHRAIN

COLLAGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT

MGT430- Human Resources & Personnel Management

Dr. Asma Abdallah Ayari

Final Research

Section 04

The Impact of Working from Home on Productivity on Employees and Organizations.

Done by:

– Yousif Makki Al Zainaldin – 20188406

– Sara Ahmed – 20180252

– Layla Abdulla – 20183481

– Dana Alharam – 20175303

– Muneera Albalooshi – 20165451

INTRODUCTION:

According to the Bahrain News Agency, the Bahraini government will add BHD177 million ($ 470 million) to its 2020 provincial budget for critical spending on Covid-19, which is expected to be a downturn, and the Future Generations Fund, which was established in 2006 to reintroduce hydrocarbon revenues, which has a short term that puts a portion of the oil revenues in the Future Generations Fund until the end of 2020, both of which are considered critical. Some more well-known people’ proposals have been used to support the arguments made in the preceding paragraphs. announcements.

Early in the year, a report bundle was released that included a wide range of financial strategies that have been proven to be effective in lowering the financial burden of social security regulations while maintaining a sense of humour. Numerous occurrences, both positive and negative, have bolstered financial action and laid the groundwork for the recovery of the economy, with increases in volume disbursements, retail sales, and new items issued in May. There are about 80,000 economically registered groups in Bahrain, which is a considerable amount when compared to the country’s population. The majority of these businesses are financially registered SMEs with annual revenues of less than BD3 million and fewer than 100 employees, accounting for roughly 98 percent of all jobs in Bahrain. From integration to consumer management, these SMEs are active in practically every sector of the economy (Olaimy, 2020).

Members acknowledged that the Covid-19 outbreak had wreaked havoc on the majority of SMEs working in a variety of industries, with the tourism industry bearing the brunt of the damage. Covid-19 has infected around 50 million people worldwide by early November 2020, killing over 1.2 million people. The epidemic’s acute health implications have been exacerbated by financial consequences, with the IMF predicting 4.2 percent pressure on the world economy by 2020. in a more impressive manner in February 2020, the Bahraini government revealed its first case. Nearly 80,000 cases and 300 deaths had been reported by early November 2020. Although there has never been a complete closure, development restrictions were applied from March to September 2020, including the completion of schools and the elimination of a huge number of weak organisations. The number of common instances was steadily decreasing by November 2020. From a high of 720 in September, the number has decreased to 230, and more than a million people have slipped below the world average on a daily basis (Jerry, 2021).

Bahrain’s GDP declined 8.9% in the second quarter of 2020 as a result of Covid-19, and government authorities implemented a range of financial and financial measures to safeguard positions and sustain the economy throughout the epidemic. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has mandated a continual review process to complement information from authorised public records, highlighting undeniable levels of sadness among many Bahraini firms, particularly small and medium-sized businesses. Derasat and UNDP Bahrain initiated a study to examine the financial impact of Covid-19 in June 2020, with funding from the UNDP international mandate. The study decided to assess the scope of the epidemic’s impact on Bahrainis society. Continuous evaluations, interviews, round-up talks, and a gathering of useful material were all part of the project. The report is a condensed version of the initial focus meeting with Bahrain’s private delegates. It covers the main points of the two-hour debate, such as a collection of members’ comments concentrating on two organisations and policymakers. Following the emergence of the COVID-19 epidemic, the UN agency in Bahrain produced the “UN COVID-19 financial response and recovery plan for Bahrain” under the auspices of the UN Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Development Program in Bahrain. The government quickly sought UNDP’s help in coordinating the COVID-19 Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA). UNDP Bahrain and the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies (Derasat), Bahrain’s most prestigious public research body, collaborated to launch the campaign. SEIA was established as a formal platform run by the DERASAT-UNDP expert team, consisting of regular support, including reviews, scientific reports, conferences, meetings, and roundtable discussions with various partners, and was funded by the UNDP Rapid Response Center, a global vertical support window focused on the response to COVID-19 (Gearon, 2020).

The majority of the SMEs in the area rely on tourists from nearby nations, who are unable to travel internationally due to heavy restrictions. SME’s in the preparation sector have had the reverse effect, with their operations being halted for an extended period of time. Businesses in 12 industries, as well as those in transportation, are among the hardest hit. Patients have reduced their trips to clinics, which has had the opposite effect for health-care organisations; dermatology and dentistry have been the most affected. And, once again, the Covid-19 epidemic has wreaked havoc in a number of regions. Higher education is one such paradigm, since students have chosen to pursue higher education in Bahrain rather than focusing on overseas concerns. Furthermore, due to social segregation policies and advancements in telecommunications, e-management, and the proliferation of e-exchanges.

Methodology of Research:

After making a survey question and collected answers from 28 different people we have concluded this analysis which it talks directly about the impact of working from home on the productivity of employees and companies during pandemic (Covid-19).

After we conducted the questionnaire, which included 28 people of both genders, the percentage of female was higher than the percentage of male.

Where the percentage of female reached 64.3%, while the percentage of male was 35.7%.

After we conducted the questionnaire, which included 28 people of both genders, the percentage of female was higher than the percentage of male.

Where the percentage of female reached 64.3%, while the percentage of male was 35.7%.

This questionnaire was conducted on different age groups, and due to the difference in ages, we found most of those who took this questionnaire were from the age group 18-25, and their percentage was equivalent to 39.3%.

As for the age group of 26-33, their percentage is 10.7%.

As for the category between 34-41 and Above 41 Years, their percentages are equal, which equals to 25%.

As for the age group of 26-33, their percentage is 10.7%.

As for the category between 34-41 and Above 41 Years, their percentages are equal, which equals to 25%.

As for the marital status of those who answered this questionnaire, most of them are married, and their percentage is 67.9%, and some are from the single category, their percentage is 32.1%

This indicates that most of those who work are married.

As for the marital status of those who answered this questionnaire, most of them are married, and their percentage is 67.9%, and some are from the single category, their percentage is 32.1%

This indicates that most of those who work are married.

Coming to the educational level, we see that the highest percentage of those who answered the questionnaire is the educated category for a bachelor’s degree, which is equivalent to 71.4%, followed by the educated with a diploma, with a percentage of 25%. Doctorate degrees come in at 3.6%. But in this questionnaire, we lack those whose certificates are from the master’s category.

We also see that we have many sectors of work, let’s start with the highest, and they belong to the education sector, which is equivalent to 50%, followed by the financial sector 14.3%. As for the rest of the sectors, their percentage is uniform, equal to 3.6%.

We come to the number of children of workers, as the number of children may affect the productivity of employees and companies in this pandemic. We also see that the highest percentage goes to the number of children from 0-3 children and the second percentage to those who have 4-6 children, and we lack those who have 7 or more.

Let’s talk about the number of days of the week that they work at home. The highest percentage of those who work 2 Days / Week is 35.7%, followed by 4 Days / Week, which is equivalent to 32.1%, 25% are for those who work 7 Days / Week, and the lowest percentage is 6 Days / Week, that equals to 7.1%.

We come to the number of working hours from home per day in this pandemic. The highest percentage goes to 6 Hours / Day, which is equivalent to 35.7%. followed by 8 Hours / Day equal to 28.6%. Those who work 4Hours/Day are 25%. As for those who work 24 hours, those who do not work, and those who work most of the day, their percentage is equal to 3.6%.

The most used tools that were mentioned by the respondents to the questionnaire to continue working from home are:

Google meet, zoom, WhatsApp, e-mail

Laptop, phone, internet, pc, iPad, programs, computer. Electronics devices, paper and pin, Wi-Fi, headphones.

The most used tools that were mentioned by the respondents to the questionnaire to continue working from home are:

Google meet, zoom, WhatsApp, e-mail

Laptop, phone, internet, pc, iPad, programs, computer. Electronics devices, paper and pin, Wi-Fi, headphones.

10- what are the technical issue you faced during working from home (WFH)?

Let’s show some of the answers who answered the questionnaire:

There are no problems.

Internet connection.

Communication problems.

Technical problems if the internet service is available on the private account.

Internet quality problems.

Internet failure.

Slow transmission Hassle.

Unavailability of new laptops.

It has too much to pay for programs and for internet

In the question, did the company provide you or help you in obtaining the necessary tools to continue working from home? We see that most people answered no. They did not provide the necessary tools to complete the work from home. The answer rate is no, equal to 64.3%, as for those who provided them with tools and equipment, where they answered yes, their percentage is 35.7%.

By working from home, we asked people, do they feel that they are producing by working from home, and the majority answered yes, and the percentage is equal to 85.2%, while those who do not feel that they have accomplished, as they answered no, their percentage is accelerated by 14.8%.

People answered that do they think that working from home causes stress, so they were divided into two parts, yes and no. The majority answered no, as their percentage is 53.6%. And those who answered yes, as they believe that working from home causes stress, their percentage equals 46.4%.

14. What are the productive issues related to the use of technology during (WFH)?

Let’s show some of the answers of people who answered the productivity barriers related to technology by working from home:

Some answered without any obstacles.

Others answered that there is slow internet and general problems in technology.

Online problems in practical applications.

Problems with the Internet and problems in the balance between home, children, and work.

Problems that some workers do not find the right place in the house to put the device in, as when an emergency meeting occurs, the specifics of the house or the specifics of the worker himself do not appear.

Make a fuss and annoyance.

Some malfunctions of electronic devices that require the presence of the employee on the job.

Difficulty communicating.

It is not totally secure, data might be lost

15. What can you do to maximize your productivity?

Let’s show some of the answers from people who answered what can be done to increase productivity at work:

Technical support.

Protecting the Internet and providing electronic tools.

Providing the necessary software.

Create a good work atmosphere + take a break between one task and another.

Language development.

Time Management.

Allocate a suitable place to work.

Preparing alternative plans: For example, in the event of an internet outage, we can enter from another device.

Work meticulously.

Working extra hours.

Presence at work under any circumstances.

Follow-up work with specialists from all departments.

Let’s come to the last question in this questionnaire, which talks about the number of emails the worker receives per day (work-related messages) during this pandemic: Most answered 0-5 email, which is equivalent to their share of 46.4%, followed by 25% that This goes back to 6-10 emails, followed by 17.9% who say they receive too many emails. The lowest percentage goes to those who receive 11-20 email, where the percentage is equal to 10.7%.

Findings Results and Discussion:

We conducted a study related to employee productivity during the period of remote work in the Corona pandemic. Initially, we surveyed a cross-section of the population of 28 people, mostly female, aged 18-25, who had a bachelor’s degree, and most of them were married with 0-3 children, here are the most significant results we got:

Based on this study, most employees felt productive working remotely, and there were positives and there were also negatives. We will start with the negatives, as most of the organizations did not provide the necessary tools that help employees to work remotely such as laptops, internet and other tools, forcing employees to use their own tools and face many problems such as Internet costs, poor network, and sometimes the inability to communicate. Another problem faced by employees is the increase in working hours by 8 hours or more, i.e. the working time is open and not specified. This is stressful for the employee who works from his home and has many obligations, especially if he has children who need care and follow up on their studies, which have also shifted from home due to the Corona epidemic. But despite this, he was producing and feeling good about his performance, facing all challenges, as well as impeding career progression when working remotely, as promotions and rewards include employees. Primarily in the workplace, where they are the focus of the employer’s attention. Finally, these negatives included the psychological impact of employees, as the employee is no longer able to sit with his colleagues as before and exchange experiences with them, which leads to boredom and loneliness, and there is also a possibility that you are less motivated and have many personal distractions.

In addition to many advantages, the most important of which is flexible scheduling, which means that flexible scheduling enables employees to enjoy the independence in planning their daily lives according to their needs and spending more time with their families. Another benefit of working from home for employees is to save time commuting to the office and avoid rush hour crowds. Employees can also save money by eliminating petrol costs.

The most important finding is that productivity is not measured by working hours and the workplace, and the evidence for this is that most employees feel more productive during the period of working remotely than working at the workplace despite the many challenges they face and this for employees

We now come to the impact of remote work on companies, as expenses have decreased, such as expenses for equipment, internet, communications, maintenance, rent for employees’ car parks, etc., and the problem of workers’ absence from the workplace has ended and at the same time the increase in employee productivity has led to an increase Production and compensation for losses.

here are few negative effects on the company in remote work, such as the inability to reach employees in the event of an emergency work and the difficulty of hiring and conducting interviews.

Conclusion:

Breaking the restrictions of traditional management in organizations and striving to reach management with modern trends is inevitable with the continuation of the Corona crisis, and it can be said that the real problem of any institution is not in the material and human capabilities, but rather in how to manage those capabilities to reach the goals that are always changing according to the type, size, and nature of crisis, such as the coronavirus crisis. organization still need to find appropriate programs or policies that could maintain or even increasing their existing employees’ digital orientation.

As a result of the thematic analysis of five selected articles, it can be concluded that working from home has an influence on productivity of the employees. While some of the factors of working from home practice have positive influences on the productivity, some other factors have negative influences. Moreover, there are some other factors, the influences of which depend on the characteristics and attitude of the employees and the circumstances.

The attitude and policy of the organizations towards WFH affect the productivity of their employees. The productivity increases if the employees feel that their organization trusts and cares about them and provides them with training, good project management and adequate resources to get their job done in time. It influences the productivity of the employees positively when the employees do not have to waste time, money, and energy on transportation between home and office.

If there is a suitable workspace at home, employees work more productively when they can focus on their work and finish their tasks without being interrupted and distracted by their colleagues in the office. On the other hand, lacking face-to-face communication with the colleagues may have an adverse effect on the productivity of the employers. It becomes more difficult to access people for help and cooperation in the absence of a team environment, which may lead to delays in receiving critical information. It complicates the situation even further if there is a high level of task interdependence and colleagues work with sequential tasks and need to wait for each other to complete their tasks. Being in the same home environment in a relatively long-time causes feeling of social and professional isolation and disconnectedness, which affect productivity negatively.

References:

Gearon, P. (2020, December 13). The Kingdom of Bahrain and COVID-19: Bahrain’s reaction to the global pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com/en/news-and-insights/insights/corporate/2020/the-kingdom-of-bahrain-and-covid-19-bahrains-reaction-to-the-global-pandemic/

Jerry. (2021). COVID-19 Socio-Economic Impact Assessment in Bahrain. Retrieved from https://www.bh.undp.org/content/bahrain/en/home/presscenter/articles/2021/COVID19_Socio_Economic_Impact_Assessment_in_Bahrain.html

http://kau.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1446903/FULLTEXT01.pdf#:~:text=WorkingfromhomeWFHhasbothbenefitsand,asMonteiroetal.2019claimtheopposite.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1029313221000452

Order Plagiarism-Free Paper

Tags: Writing

PapersSpot

UNIVERSITY OF BAHRAIN COLLAGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT

Explore More topics

Order For an Original Customized Paper

Archives