The effectiveness of working from home during Covid-19 pandemic- special reference to the academic staff of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Nowadays workers are able to conduct their works from home rather than doing it in their work places with the help of technological advancement. People's jobs and lifestyles have changed as a result of advances in information and communication technology. At the same time, COVID-19 pandemic also has led to the people to work from home without any option. Accordingly, the present study aims to examine the effectiveness of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the academic staff of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka. To achieve this aim, it includes sub-objectives such as identifying the factors that determine the effectiveness of working from home, finding out the challenges faced by the academic staff, and finding out the solutions to the challenges faced by the academic staff. According to that total population was selected to collect the data and 105 responses were collected from them. The data was collected through structured questionnaires with five-point Likert-scale questions. The collected data was analyzed descriptively using SPSS software. According to the research findings, management support, family support, and the environment are major determinants of the effectiveness of working from home. This study found that completing scheduled tasks on time, conducting exams, teaching practice sessions, communicating with students, and attending conferences and meetings are challenges for the academic staff who work from home. Therefore, this research recommends providing flexible hours for staff, providing a loan scheme for setting up a home office, and investing in technological infrastructure to improve the process of efficiency and delivery of academic work.