The impact of remote working on employee productivity during COVID-19 in the UAE: the moderating role of job level

Abstract

Purpose–Thepurpose of this study is to examine the various factors that influence the productivity (PR) of employees who worked remotely in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach– This study adopts a quantitative approach to analyze data collected online from 110 respondents using the snowball sampling technique during the pandemic. The analysis of the data is conducted using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique of Smart PLS(Partial least squares) to evaluate the direct and moderating variables. Findings–Theresultsindicatethatdirectvariablessuch asworkload,job satisfaction, work–life balanceand social support have a significant positive impact on employee PR in the UAE. However, the analysis of the moderating variable indicates that job level is not a significant moderator of the above relationships. The findings, generally, provide support for social exchange theory. Practical implications– The findings of this study will help businesses of various domains in a variety of industries in understanding the core factors that should be considered to enhance the overall PR of their employees while working from home. Businesses can achieve their organizational goals by ensuring steady growth even during uncertain times. Originality/value–ThispaperanswersthequestionofwhetherremoteworkingaffectsemployeePRduring the pandemicinanemergingmarket,namelytheUAE.Thecurrentstudycontributestotheexisting literature bycombiningthevariablesinvestigatedinpreviousstudiesintoasinglestudyandbyconsideringjoblevelasa moderator variable.