OPERATING IN A NEW PARADIGM: EXPLORING WORKPLACE RECONFIGURATION IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Globally, the present epidemic has had an immediate impact on the labour force. Historically, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in particular, has not established flexible work arrangements. However, due to the epidemic, the existing systems have been altered to support remote and flexible employment. While the concepts of flexible contracts, remote work, and alternative work arrangements have been extensively discussed in the management literature, the employment conditions created by COVID-19 are unprecedented. The purpose of this study is to build on and fill a gap in the existing literature by examining the impact of workplace reconfiguration in Saudi Arabia from the perspective of employees across multiple industries. The study reveals that the nature of each employee’s experience with flexible or remote work dynamics in the Saudi context is influenced by the level of organisational preparedness, the cost to employees, and the socioeconomic disparity. While the study’s findings indicate that employees’ experiences with remote work are typically good, organisations should take steps to address these concerns to promote employee well-being, which is associated with improved organisational outcomes. © 2021