The perception and the perceived readiness of individuals while working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, some individuals were sent home to work remotely to honor social distancing measures. Individuals were challenged to create a workspace, obtain the technology needed, and create a balance between work and private life. Emotional distress may have been caused by overlapping work into personal life or psychological problems due to social distancing for some individuals. The current research aimed to understand the lived experiences of the individuals sent home to work remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic. A transcendental phenomenon methodology captured the insights, adaptations, and perspectives of individuals working remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown. Twelve participants took part in the study. They were asked to reflect on their lived experiences while working remotely using fifteen open-ended questions relating to preparedness, perceptions, training, and challenges. The findings showed some participants perceived themselves as ready to work from home with a strong presence for self-motivation but a lack of prior training for individuals to work remotely. Additional studies are needed to understand the transition of working remotely to implement suitable training for a smoother transition from in-office to remote work, reduce the challenges of working remotely, organize solid virtual leadership, and design a positive social change where individuals can have the opportunity to work from home when needed with the benefits of less commuting to work and establishing an exceptional work-life balance for all stakeholders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)