Ijerph 20 00048 v2
Ijerph 20 00048 v2
Ijerph 20 00048 v2
Environmental Research
and Public Health
Article
Work-From-Home in the New Normal: A Phenomenological
Inquiry into Employees’ Mental Health
Mumtaz Ali Memon 1, * , Saba Shaikh 2 , Muhammad Zeeshan Mirza 1 , Asfia Obaid 1 , Nuttawuth Muenjohn 3
and Hiram Ting 4
1 NUST Business School, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
2 Department of Management Sciences, National University of Modern Languages Hyderabad Campus,
Hyderabad 71000, Pakistan
3 School of Management, College of Business and Law, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000, Australia
4 Department of Tourism and Commerce, UCSI University, Kuching 93000, Malaysia
* Correspondence: mumtazutp@gmail.com
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced employees to adapt and adjust to the new normal in
an unprecedented way. While some employees have been able to move to work-from-home (WFH)
relatively easily, many find it challenging. Notwithstanding the magnitude of change, little is known
about the determinants of WFH employees’ mental health during COVID-19. This study therefore
aims to explore (1) the salient factors that contribute to the mental health issues of WFH employees
and (2) strategies to overcome WFH challenges. A qualitative approach using phenomenological
inquiry was adopted. Forty-one employees who worked from home in Pakistan were sampled
using the purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data was collected via semi-structured
interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Overall, employees believe that organizations offer
inadequate support in both work-related and non-work-related matters. Five themes were elicited
and coded as factors that contribute to mental health issues among WFH employees. Technical
Citation: Memon, M.A.; Shaikh, S.;
issues and system complexities, the absence of flexible working arrangements, distractions, a lack
Mirza, M.Z.; Obaid, A.;
of communication, and inadequate social support were found to obstruct WFH and cause mental
Muenjohn, N.; Ting, H.
distress. Behavioral and cognitive coping strategies were also determined to tackle these mental
Work-From-Home in the New
Normal: A Phenomenological
issues. This study complements the human resource literature by exploring the factors that obstruct
Inquiry into Employees’ Mental WFH and cause mental health issues in the context of the pandemic crisis. As mental well-being is
Health. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public more intricate than administrative arrangements, the study is useful for organizations to develop
Health 2023, 20, 48. https:// a feasible mechanism that facilitates the smooth execution of WFH for employees while ensuring
doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010048 their mental health is preserved. Using a phenomenological inquiry, the present study is one of the
few to explore the factors that contribute to the mental health of WFH employees in the context of
Academic Editors: Angel
Belzunegui-Eraso, Amaya
the pandemic crisis. Apart from its contribution to knowledge on human resource management and
Erro Garcés and Maria organizational behavior, it provides useful implications for managers, policymakers, and practitioners
Inmaculada Pastor-Gosálvez to manage WFH employees more effectively.
1. Introduction
An unknown virus—later named COVID-19—hit the city of Wuhan, China in De-
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. cember 2019. It spread exponentially and caught other countries by surprise before it
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. was declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March
This article is an open access article 2020 [1]. To curb its spread and flatten the curve, lockdowns, movement controls, and
distributed under the terms and
physical distancing measures were imposed [2]. Due to health concerns and subsequent
conditions of the Creative Commons
stay-at-home mandates by the authorities, many companies lost their customers and rev-
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
enue, leaving them with no choice but to reduce, suspend, or adjust their operations and
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
strategies [3]. As the pandemic has persisted with no sign of a permanent solution, the
4.0/).
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010048 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48 2 of 19
resolve of companies, especially their human resource personnel, has been greatly chal-
lenged. Therefore, to keep business going and make adjustments to navigate their human
capital, work-from-home (WFH) procedures have been adopted by most organizations [4].
WFH is known by different names, such as telecommuting, remote working, and
teleworking. All these terms refer to arrangements in which employees do not work at
conventional offices, warehouses, or stores. Rather, they are free to work at a place that
is convenient to them(i.e., home) [5]. While WFH is beneficial, it is also challenging as
its working protocols differ from conventional working formats. Moreover, WFH during
COVID-19 exposes an organization’s rigidity and employees’ vulnerabilities. For some job
positions, the transition to WFH is relatively easy while for others, performing regular work
tasks from home can be daunting [6]. Thus, though the pandemic has forced companies
to swiftly make adjustments, it has also compelled employees to endure changes with
uncertainty. In fact, it is projected that every four employees out of five, which encompasses
almost 81% of the global workforce (3.3 billion), are badly affected by the complete or partial
closure of businesses [7].
Geographically, Pakistan lies between epicenters of COVID-19, such as China and Iran.
The first case of COVID-19 in Pakistan was detected on 25 February 2020, while the first
death was reported on 29 March that year [8]. The single case reported in late February 2020
grew to 20 cases within two weeks, following which, the trajectory of COVID-19 infections
in Pakistan surged over the next months. As a developing country, Pakistan has grappled
with dealing with COVID-19, strained by its limited resources and an unstable economy [9].
The government began with a partial/smart lockdown (particularly in outbreak areas)
and the closure of both major public and private sector organizations. The lockdown and
quarantine measures marked the beginning of a unique set of inevitable challenges for
both employers and employees, foremost of which was stress and anxiety, along with other
dilemmas for the general population. Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has put the psychological
health of millions at stake by triggering anxiety and apprehension. This was confirmed
by a World Health organization (WHO) report which found that a large fraction of the
global population, specifically in middle- and low-income countries, were suffering from
psychological, neural, and substance use disorders [10]. Many studies have also highlighted
mental health concerns among the workforce during the pandemic [11,12]. Therefore, it is
important to explore the factors that affect the mental health of WFH employees in order to
preserve their mental well-being and social harmony during COVID-19 and beyond.
The key objectives of this research were to: (1) explore the factors affecting the mental
health of employees working from home during COVID-19; and (2) explore strategies
to overcome WFH challenges. By fulfilling these objectives, this research adds to the
current literature in four ways. First, the growing body of WFH literature on the COVID-19
pandemic appears to focus more on corporeal health issues, such as respiratory hygiene,
social distancing, and herd immunity, rather than the mental problems people have faced
during this pandemic [13–15]. However, past research has advocated that epidemics
have severe and viable psychological effects on the community [16]. Discussing only
physical health while neglecting mental health issues thus fails to portray the true picture
of individuals’ general health [17].
Second, many studies have emphasized the psychological health of medical staff who
are exposed to the direct risk of virus transmission [18,19]. For example, Spoorthy et al. [16]
suggested regular medical screening for healthcare workers to relieve the stress associ-
ated with COVID-19. Nonetheless, further investigation is needed into the influence of
COVID-19 on the mental health of WFH employees. As WFH employees do not work in a
conventional workplace and have lower virus transmission risk, they could have different
psychological concerns.
Third, WHO has stressed the need for nations to initiate interventions to cure the
expected psychological consequences of this pandemic [10]. Likewise, Xiang et al. [20]
stated that concerns related to physiological health call for practical implications to ensure
individual mental well-being. However, to date, the specific mental health factors that stem
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48 3 of 19
from these consequences are unclear. Without understanding the factors that contribute
to mental health problems, it is hard to cope with them. Therefore, the findings of this
investigation will help policymakers formulate better strategies to tackle the mental health
problems of WFH workers.
Lastly, past studies in the literature have mainly focused on the quantitative method.
Quantitative analysis usually lacks insights into the subjective experiences of respon-
dents [21–23]. Qualitative analysis, on the other hand, seeks to gather evidence-based
knowledge, unearth contextual facts, and develop increased phenomenon awareness [24].
In this regard, a deeper exploration of employee experiences provides better insights into
the research phenomenon. Therefore, this study attempted to qualitatively examine em-
ployees’ experiences with WFH and its impact on their mental well-being amid the ongoing
pandemic.
This paper is structured as follows. First, we present a theoretical description of
the research context to highlight the main issues in the available literature. In the next
section, we explain the methodology employed in this study. Then, data analysis results are
reported, following which a comprehensive framework is proposed based on the findings.
A thorough discussion of the key findings is subsequently presented before outlining
their theoretical and practical implications. Lastly, future directions and closing remarks
conclude the paper.
2. Literature Review
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are exploring unchartered seas; in doing so, we
are realizing the importance of managing, living, and working together for social well-being
and stability [15]. In the business environment, the virus has changed the conception of
work in contemporary organizations. Businesses have faced the most uncertain situations
and, consequently, have been forced to take decisions which they never have done before.
Specifically, the pandemic has altered prevailing working geographies by enforcing WFH
practices for employees [25] as an essential part of the new normal since the beginning of
the COVID-19 disruption [26]
WFH (also known as telecommuting) is a working arrangement that allows individuals
to shift work from their office to their home [27]. It permits operating from home without
normal arrangements and guidelines provided by direct supervisors and other structural
sources. Since WFH employees work with greater autonomy and isolation while engaging
in relatively less interaction with co-workers, WFH blurs the dividing line between one’s
personal and professional lives [2].
Previous literature on WFH has advocated its potential benefits, which include in-
creases in flexibility, efficiency, policy conformity, morality, and transparency, as well as
reductions in instability, turnover, absenteeism, and fixed costs [28]. WFH also helps indi-
viduals work with greater freedom, as they are separated from the constant monitoring of
peers and supervisors. In the long term, such autonomy builds their self-control [29]. The
flexibility of scheduling linked to WFH has further beneficial consequences for personal
and family life, which boosts satisfaction in the long run [30]. WFH also helps employees
maintain a healthier work-life balance, which in turn increases their job efficiency.
Given its advantages, many studies have identified the personal and environmental
antecedents of WFH [27,31]. Haines III et al. [27] revealed supervisor and technical support
as environmental antecedents and self-management and motivation as personal antecedents
of WFH. Work overload, work-life conflict, and role ambiguity have also been found as
stressors that lead to undesired outcomes when working at home [32]. Notably, a review
of 46 meta-analyses and 12,883 employees conducted by Gajendran and Harrison [33]
concluded that telecommuting does not have a general adverse impact on the quality of
employment relationships. Rather, they found that telecommuting has few but mostly
beneficial impacts on lateral outcomes, such as better performance, job satisfaction, and
perceived control, as well as lower turnover, role stress, and work-family conflict. It was
also observed that these beneficial effects seem to be partly mediated by autonomy.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48 4 of 19
during the COVID-19 outbreak in China to handle mental well-being without in-person
meetings [52]. Another study showed that higher confidence was correlated with better
self-rated mental and physical health before the COVID-19 outbreak, suggesting that a good
health status can help individuals face the unanticipated pandemic with confidence [52].
3. Research Methods
3.1. Context of the Study
In February 2020, the first COVID-19 patient was confirmed in Pakistan; following that
point, the country enforced the closure of office stations and employees started working
from home. In Pakistan, working from home is far less common than in the West; however,
the continuous rise in positive COVID-19 cases made it necessary to take drastic decisions
and actions. Since 14 March 2020, both local government and companies across the nation
have encouraged workers to stay at home, allowing millions of Pakistanis to experience the
pros and cons of a home office for the first time. Unlike physical threats, pandemics have
severe psychological impacts on the health of the general population [62]. As mentioned
by WHO [10], large fractions of the population, specifically in middle- and low-income
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48 6 of 19
countries, are suffering from psychological, neural, and substance use disorders. Likewise,
COVID-19 has impacted the mental health of the Pakistani society in one way or another.
For that reason, managers must understand the factors that are contributing to the mental
health issues of Pakistani WFH employees during COVID-19.
Category Frequency %
Gender Male 27 65.9
Female 14 34.1
Age 21–30 17 41.4
31–40 19 46.3
41 and above 5 12.1
Marital Status Married 25 60.9
Single 16 39.0
Industry Services * 21 51.21
IT 15 36.58
Manufacturing 5 12.19
* Service sector includeincludes education, oil and gas, digital marketing, telecommunication, and R&D institu-
tions.
3.4. Procedure
Before data collection, participants were informed about the objectives and voluntary
nature of the study. To maintain their confidentiality, a unique number was assigned to
each participant (e.g., R1, R2, R3 . . . ) and all identifying information was removed from the
transcripts. All transcripts were recorded and saved for further analysis. At the beginning
of the interview, important demographic information such as the participant’s gender,
age, marital status, industry, and position was obtained. A comprehensive question was
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48 7 of 19
then asked, i.e., “What is your overall experience of working from home?”, which was
followed by a series of questions to probe the respondent’s description of their experiences.
Examples of questions include “What are the key factors that make WFH challenging?” and
“What do you usually do to overcome stress and stay motivated, positive, and productive?”
4. Results
4.1. The Overall Experience of Working from Home
There was a great deal of variation in interviewees’ responses about their overall WFH
experiences during COVID-19. The distribution of answers revealed that most respondents
have a positive attitude towards WFH (51.2%), followed by respondents with mixed or
strange feelings towards WFH (26.8%) and finally, those who dislike WFH (21.9%). We also
noted that a higher percentage of males (36.6%) offered positive opinions about WFH than
females (14.6%). In terms of marital status, positive views were specifically expressed by
married males (26.9%), who appear to be more satisfied with WFH than single males. A
relatively smaller proportion of married women (7.0%) were satisfied with WFH. Age-wise,
a positive outlook is reflected by young employees, as the majority of young employees
reported positive views of WFH. Conversely, middle-aged employees took ambivalent
standpoints while older employees held negative stances in our interviews.
“Working from home can never be completely positive for someone who has a family,
especially kids, due to the distractions that an employee has to face at home from his
spouse and kids” (R2).
“The less pressurized work environment increased my productivity, and I enjoyed this
whole WFH experience” (R26).
“Sometimes the company’s web portal does not work properly. This creates a communica-
tion gap between workers and customers as well” (R6).
“The packages of software are really heavy . . . it is impossible to run them on our home
computers. Also, this software is graphically intensive and cannot be managed by desktop
sharing” (R10).
Figure 1 presents the five themes that emerged in this study. Based on these themes,
the factors that make WFH challenging and contribute to mental health issues among WFH
employees are technical issues, work-related stressors, non-work stressors, communication
issues, and motivation and productivity issues.
especially pertaining to family and personal life. This result is in line with previous
studies that have found employees’ positive sentiments towards WFH [26]. However,
within our sample, more male employees reported swapping from commuting to WFH,
whereas women were more likely to continue to commute to work. This is inconsistent with
prior evidence that women prefer to WFH [65]. In fact, telecommuting was traditionally
introduced to facilitate female employees in balancing their work and home responsibilities.
The contradictory result may be because female employees’ attention span is severely
strained by challenges specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as taking care of children
who are not in school. Moreover, the results of this research indicate a generational disparity
in terms of the attitude towards WFH, wherein younger employees are more inclined
towards WFH than older ones. Younger employees are more responsive to emerging
technologies and flexible work activities, since they are familiar with technology-rich
workplaces and embrace technology as constructive. Consequently, electronic networking
methods (e.g., emails and text messages) are more convenient for them to interact with.
This supports the techno-eustress concept, which hypothesizes that technostress that is
challenging and thrilling brings positive outcomes, including innovativeness, creativity,
and productivity [53].
Apart from their positive attitude, the employees also identified several factors ger-
mane to mental health issues under WFH. The most prevalent stressor was reported to
be technical issues. The literature agrees that substantial technical support is needed by
employees who WFH [39]. The participants mentioned several limitations in existing tech-
nology that hamper WFH employees’ effective performance. Examples include inconsistent
or non-existent cellular coverage, unplanned power cuts, and the incompatibility between
old and modern technologies or between technologies introduced by different providers.
Due to inadequate coverage, workers commuting from remote areas are often unable to
obtain real-time company information. The technology-enabled service sector is the worst
affected by technical issues, given its heavy reliance on network connectivity and complex
systems. Moreover, users may require long periods to adapt to new technologies and
may find that newer employees understand a technology better [54]. Users may also view
the complexity of a technology as damaging to their work completion [54]. Overall, our
findings echo these claims.
The second set of issues contributing to poor mental health revolves around work-
related stressors. The broad range of stressors discovered illustrates the difficulty and
extent of the challenging work conditions encountered by employees, such as unanticipated
workloads, shifting timelines, and supplementary work. This implies that their existing
workload is not an issue for WFH employees; rather, problems arise when extra tasks
are sprung upon them. Work schedules are also influenced by WFH settings, as work is
no longer limited to a 9-to-5 day. Employees commonly have to serve extended working
hours when given the opportunity to work at home. Consistent with this, the techno-
overload concept posits that using technology as a work medium forces employees to
work longer and faster, leading to negative psychological responses [53]. Our findings
also observed resistance from older workers regarding working hours when they began to
operate remotely, possibly because they have had to shift from a predefined schedule to
working throughout the day. In fact, telecommuters feel more obliged to instantly reply to
work calls and work emails outside their working hours, since they have access to it from
their home. This ultimately disrupts their mental health.
Non-work stressors comprise another cluster of key factors identified in this study.
An important finding is that in remote working, the line between work and home gets
obscured. People mostly face distractions due to home issues or the presence of children
at home. During the COVID-19 lockdown, all family members have to stay home; thus,
maintaining a professional environment similar to one’s office is far from ideal. Conversely,
employees do not have the physical sensation of leaving the office, and hence, might never
really “clock out” from their work. The blurred segregation of work and home thereby
creates frustrations which ultimately affect the quality of work and induce stressed-out
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48 13 of 19
behaviors among employees. This finding aligns with earlier research results that WFH
employees struggle with: (1) the conflict between the need for flexibility and the need for
structure to preserve the work-home boundary; and (2) the benefits of segmented roles to
achieve specific advantages in the telework [29,37]. The participants thus remarked that
creating a balance between work and life domains is a sensitive matter, as they cannot
distract themselves from the boundaries of the home while working. To handle this problem
effectively, employees need to learn how to prioritize and take control of their home–work
environment by awarding it the same respect as their actual office. It was also reported
by the participants that being at home causes laziness, since remote workers are free to
decide the amount of time they spend on tasks [66]. Some employees may not find it easy
to start their work day properly; instead, the tendency for procrastination, frequent breaks,
and repeated interruptions for other chores could overwhelm them [29].This supports the
idea that though flexibility is beneficial to some extent, too much of it can be damaging
for certain types of people [34]. Therefore, our participants emphasized developing a
consistent work routine and employing time management strategies. As the home is the
office for WFH employees, a line must be drawn as to which hours of the day fall under
the work period and which do not [37,67].
Effective communication remains a challenge in the telecommuting context [42,45],
and has become even more demanding in the COVID-19 pandemic [67]. In this study,
communication issues emerged as a key factor affecting WFH employees’ mental health.
Participants reported scant collaboration with peers and superiors, inadequate coordination,
and improper guidelines and feedback as major causes of stress. In the WFH environment
where employees are dispersed geographically, isolation from day-to-day contact with
virtual colleagues is typical. Generally, electronic communication in this regard is not as
efficient as talking physically [29]. Likewise, Jaiswal and Arun [12] argued that working in
virtual environments elevates feelings of professional and social isolation because it cannot
fulfill the sense of belongingness, trust, team spirit, bonding, and companionship gained
from physical presence and interpersonal interactions at the workplace. Participants also
provided clear insights into the link between mental stress and a lack of communication,
thereby confirming observations in the literature [23,45]. Interestingly, given that a lack of
interaction and collaboration with peers and supervisors was the most common stressor
listed by participants, correspondingly, the most common approach they mentioned to
combat stress was to seek social support and encouragement from peers. This indicates
that the identified stressor and coping strategy lie in the same zone. In terms of sector,
communication issues were mostly faced by the education sector. Effective communi-
cation with learners is crucial in academia, making it difficult for educators to interact
with students, teach technical subjects, or deal with subjects with specific spatial needs
(e.g., laboratory classes) virtually.
Motivation and productivity issues were also revealed as contributors of mental stress
for WFH employees. High morale is a must for one to focus on goal achievement; however,
maintaining morale in remote work is more challenging than in a conventional office
setting. Team spirit is also a lacking resource in telecommuting [67]. Thus, our findings are
generally in line with past research results that suggest simply moving to a mobile work
environment without re-evaluating the supervisor-subordinator relationship might lead
to lower employee satisfaction [23]. Moreover, it was suggested by the participants that
employees are self-motivated and prefer to be self-directed. As such, during the stressful
situation of COVID-19, they turned to their managers for support rather than supervision.
This calls for the role of supervisors to shift from supervision to facilitation [68].
Our findings are supported by the technostress theory coined by Brod [69], which
is described as “a modern adaptation disease caused by an inability to interact healthily
with new computer technology” [69]. Technostress is the result of the changing work
dynamics and collaborative habits stemming from the use of modern information tech-
nologies in the office and at home. This theory seeks to predict and explain how the
reliance on technology causes detrimental cognitive responses, such as stress, anxiety, and
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 48 14 of 19
mental exhaustion [54,69]. Through the prism of psychosociology, Arnetz and Wiholm [70]
investigated this phenomenon and discovered that technostress is a condition of mental
and physiological arousal arising from the struggle to cope with technology, which is
especially encountered by people who are heavily dependent on it. Complex technology,
information overload, multitasking, and ubiquitous networking have been shown to lead
to technostress [54,71,72]. Technostress may also be triggered by cognitive variables such as
a lack of self-efficacy [73]. Tarafdar et al. [54] listed five contributors of technostress: techno-
overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, and techno-uncertainty.
Techno-overload refers to cases where people are required to work quicker and longer
by using technology. On the other hand, techno-invasion represents situations in which
the invasive effect of technology facilitates communication with employees anytime and
anywhere. The ever-changing systems and technologies stimulate the techno-complexity,
techno-insecurity, and techno-uncertainty, compelling employees to improve their skills
and abilities. However, recent literature also shows that technostress has an optimistic
dimension in addition to its negative ones [53].
First, the findings of the study indicate the persistent presence of technical issues. To
implement WFH effectively, comprehensive support is required by employees in terms
of technical facilities. Employees must have the right resources and prompt access to
information to work efficiently from home. As appropriate hardware devices, stable internet
connections, conferencing tools, and collaboration tools are the minimum infrastructure
required for WFH, organizations should invest more in enhancing these technological
structures. Organizations must also adapt to new changes and bring software programs to
a web-based medium so that employees can effectively WFH. This must be followed by
the requisite training and technical support to permit optimum output even from home.
Training and education in this regard will help employees cope with the social paradox
generated by the new working arrangement and novel technologies.
Second, improper working infrastructure was found to be an influential factor affecting
employees. The dearth of proper ergonomics obstructs WFH, as home offices are not easy
to build and maintain. They require furnishing and equipment, which can burn a hole
through one’s pocket. Organizations should support their employees in this instance
by providing them with an allowance to purchase the required infrastructure (i.e., office
equipment) to ensure their adaptability to the new working norm. This will eventually
result in increased productivity and less stress.
Effective communication is another important factor that helps employees navigate
their tasks in such crucial conditions. When employees are working from home, they
are less likely to receive information from their supervisors and colleagues. Therefore,
managers should arrange regular discussions with employees regarding work-related goals
and keep the latter updated via the right channels. Management-level decisions should
also be transparent, with employees being taken on board to avoid discrepancies. The
decisions made should then be communicated at all levels to involve everyone in a positive
manner. This will preserve employees’ concentration and help them stay connected to the
organization’s core.
Our study’s findings emphasize the need for a proper working mechanism in this new
working environment for employees to work productively from home. Organizations must
provide clear guidelines to refine WFH procedures, especially regarding the “DOs and
DON’Ts,” of WFH. Moreover, organizations should provide more flexibility to employees to
regulate their working schedules, both in terms of working hours and submission deadlines.
This will ultimately encourage an optimal balance in their work-life domains.
Another important finding of this study is that self-management alleviates stress. In
this challenging situation, self-management is indeed highly required. Employees should
engage in purposeful and relaxing activities to mitigate the negative effects of the current
scenario. Focusing on physical health, meditation, exercise, mindfulness, and a positive
attitude are some of the strategies that can be employed by workers to build confidence
and prevent mental health problems.
Finally, the findings of this study reveal that WFH results in professional and social
isolation, which triggers employee frustration and stress. For example, at the office, em-
ployees can go out for their lunch break, interact with each other, and return feeling ready
to continue their work for the rest of the day; in contrast, with WFH, the atmosphere is the
same before and after the break. Therefore, practitioners should embark on strategies to
overcome employee isolation, such as by introducing unofficial virtual meet-ups where
people can connect and communicate with one another. Such strategies can keep employees
engaged and motivated despite being at home.
Second, the study followed a cross-sectional design, which limits causal inferences
of the results. A longitudinal design will be a good option, especially considering that
the increasingly demanding situation may worsen the mental health symptoms of the
workforce in the long term. It is thus worth studying the long-term psychological effects of
the pandemic through longitudinal follow-ups. Similarly, this research focused only on the
employee perspective. Since employees are more vulnerable to mental health issues, it may
be pertinent to take into account the organizational perspective for a better understanding
of the situation. Therefore, future studies should adopt an integrative approach comprising
both employee and organization standpoints to develop a comprehensive picture of the
prevailing scenario.
It was mentioned earlier in this paper that WFH is not as common a practice in eastern
countries as it is in the West. Therefore, we believe that it is valuable to conduct a cross-
cultural examination of the discovered variables. Lastly, we encourage future researchers
to examine the final model of the study in different sectors and diverse work settings to
assess its applicability in resolving the issues faced by WFH employees.
7. Conclusions
While there have been many different studies investigating the mental health issues
of healthcare employees, the current study has addressed a prevalent theoretical gap by
examining the mental health issues of WFH employees. In conclusion, our findings have
revealed that five factors associated with WFH affect their mental health amid COVID-19.
These findings imply the need for organizations to pay more attention to WFH employees’
mental health so they can better deal with the stressors stemming from the COVID-19
pandemic. By identifying the stress factors employees’ face when working from home,
our results carry important practical implications for policymakers and practitioners who
are interested in learning mitigation measures to safeguard the mental health of WFH
employees.
Author Contributions: Conceptualization, M.A.M., S.S. and M.Z.M.; methodology, S.S., A.O. and
H.T.; formal analysis, M.A.M., A.O., N.M. and H.T.; writing—original draft, M.A.M.; writing—review
and editing, M.Z.M., A.O., N.M. and H.T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version
of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the
study.
Data Availability Statement: The data presented in this study are available from the corresponding
author upon reasonable request.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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