GHANA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF REMOTELY WORKING FROM HOME

DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

BY

2022

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

By the end of March 2020, governments all over the world had resolved to take steps to

limit population migration in order to slow the spread of Covid-19. Millions of individuals

around the world were compelled to work from home as a result of these lockdowns, which

caused 'non-essential' firms to close temporarily. Schools, commercial organizations, dental

clinics, churches, and social venues like as restaurants and coffee shops were also closed in

numerous countries (Pan, Cui & Qian, 2020). Millions of workers have been pushed to adopt

remote working when it is possible, and working from home has become a need rather than an

option as a result of this lockdown. Carroll and Conboy (2020) point out that COVID-19 forced

organizations to adopt online working from home practices in a 'big bang' fashion; they use the

normalisation process theory (NPT) and its underlying components to understand the dynamics

of implementing, embedding, and integrating new technologies and practices into businesses.

Matli (2020) presented the results of a survey, with the main findings indicating that,

despite the positive aspects of remote working via on-line technology, there are many negative

aspects and risks associated with working from home, such as unbalanced work overload and

pressures to complete tasks on time, which may have an impact on health and wellbeing due to

stress-related issues. Richter (2020) discussed the implications of the digital work tool lockdown

for study and practice, demonstrating how the lockdown facilitated online collaboration. He also

mentioned how the lockdown had a big impact on people's lifestyle and work habits. Many

employees, however, suffered for a variety of reasons, including time management and needing

to work around childcare obligations (when the schools are closed). Other factors also play an

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important role, such as the need to share computer facilities and internet access at home with

other family members, in addition to increased stress from the increase in daily

videoconferences. According to Scheiber (2020) Covid-19 pandemic has significantly increased

the flexibility of the working hours but has also negatively influenced daily work patterns.

Covid-19, according to Cho (2020), has a huge impact on the worldwide workforce and

careers, affecting many individuals' vocational behaviors and productivity outcomes. Prior to the

Covid-19 epidemic, research on working from home identified comparable issues. Working from

home, for example, has several disadvantages and can cause disruptions, according to Park, Fritz,

and Jex (2011). This is especially true for those who like to work in an office setting and have

family commitments and responsibilities. Some academics highlighted the benefits and

drawbacks of working from home prior to Covid-19 (Jakli, Solina & Sajn, 2017). The difference

between working from home before and after the Covid-19 epidemic is that working from home

was formerly an optional measure, but it has quickly become a necessity as a result of Covid-19.

Despite the constraints imposed by Covid-19, several companies have elected to let or even

oblige their staff to work from home forever. Working from home culture lacks crucial

components such as casual face-to-face encounters, the enjoyment of travel, and breaking the

monotony of remaining in one place, according to Kramer and Kramer (2020).

Spurka and Straubb (2020) discussed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the work

and careers of individuals in flexible employment relationships, laying out the potential effects of

the pandemic on those employees' careers and examining how the pandemic could affect the

ramifications of flexible employment relationships. According to Davison (2020), the lockdown

has forced most office workers to completely adopt online remote working and digital work

solutions like collaboration platforms and video conferencing tools in order to be able to operate

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100 percent remotely in new and inventive ways. According to some recent studies, the lockout

has been proven to aid in reducing traffic and pollution levels, which could have a good impact

on global warming and climate change (Zhang, Hayashi & Frank, 2021). According to Richter

(2020), the lockdown has allowed many employees to communicate and meet in new ways, as

well as work more flexibly, resulting in the establishment of new management and independent

working styles. This has prompted many employers to use internet technologies to access

resources and data in order to improve their organizational and data management systems.

During the Covid-19 lockout, the demand for data security safeguards has increased

dramatically.

According to a recent study by Ivanti (2020), online remote working has raised IT

security demands by 66%, with the majority of on-line difficulties stemming from malicious

emails, non-compliant employee behavior, and software vulnerabilities. Organizations have been

able to adapt to new working patterns thanks to widely available internet infrastructure and

software, which would have been far more difficult in past decades. Richter is a professor at the

University of (2020). Modern software, employee ICT awareness, and current organizational

policies have demonstrated intrinsic flexibility and openness, allowing a wide range of work

activities to be supported without the need for technical customization (Richter & Riemer, 2013).

However, it has been suggested that if working from home becomes more common, businesses

will require more sophisticated organizational procedures and technologies to recreate the 'in-

office' experience as closely as feasible. A significant analysis of the Covid19 epidemic and its

impact on a wide range of technology and societal issues has also been published recently. Brem

et al. (2021) looked at the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic on innovation, including thoughts on

e-learning, 3D printing, flexible manufacturing, big data analysis, healthcare technology,

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cashless payment, and e-commerce. The Covid-19 pandemic was discussed on the technology

and innovation management research agenda by George et al. (2020), and it was concluded that

the pandemic has changed the way we live and work. Because innovation necessitates

cooperation and communication, their research looked at how the epidemic affects innovation

when face-to-face encounters are replaced with online communication, as well as the difficulty of

visualizing innovation and collaboration. The report emphasizes the need for more research to

better understand the pandemic's long-term effects on company management. In the Covid-19

epidemic, Lee and Trimi (2021) discussed innovation and the digital age. They came to the

conclusion that businesses must rely on their innovation capabilities to survive, since sustainable

innovation has become a vital strategy for businesses of all sizes.

On March 12, 2020, Ghana reported its first two instances of COVID-19 infection. The

President of Ghana announced a 14-day partial shutdown on March 28, 2020, to begin on March

30, 2020. The Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Upper West Regions of Ghana had all reported cases

of the virus on the day of the announcement, and 141 COVID-19 infections had been confirmed

nationwide, with 5 fatalities. Citizens were only allowed to leave their houses for basic

commodities like food, medicine, and water, as well as to pay their energy bills, visit the

hospital, pharmacies, and banks, among other things. These restrictions affected the operations of

most organizations including schools and companies which compelled them to move from

traditional or face-to-face approach to the virtual approach. Companies now resorted to remote

working which came with a lot of challenges and opportunities for the employees and the

organizations at large. This study therefore seek to investigate the challenges and opportunities

that are associated with remote working in Ghana.

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Statement of the Problem

Employees encountered different challenges when working from home during the Covid-

19 pandemic, compared to those they faced before the pandemic's breakout. In previous studies

(Butler and Jaffe, 2021; Prasad et al., 2020; Ralph et al., 2020), it was discovered that the

challenges faced by employees working from home during a pandemic have changed. Employee

issues may not be the same as they were at the beginning of the pandemic as the covid-19

environment persisted and the second wave of illnesses hit the global economy, including Ghana.

According to Masuda et al. (2017), it's critical to look at how different cultures see working from

home. The overall impression can be positive, but the things that influence it can vary. When

determining the benefits of working remotely, however, temporal flexibility must be taken into

account (Allen et al., 2015). Moving on, a study in Ghana concluded that, in addition to the

benefits of teleworking, it is critical to consider the drawbacks (Ansong & Boateng, 2017).

Furthermore, Narayanan et al. (2017) suggest that further research is needed to analyze the

benefits and drawbacks of telecommuting in poor nations. Finally, after professionals have

started telecommuting, it is suggested that productivity be measured (Neufeld and Fang, 2004).

Also, according to Singh et al. (2017), working from home has an impact on productivity, which

has to be investigated further. Based on this concerns, this current study seeks to investigate the

challenges and opportunities that are associated with working remotely during the Covid-19

pandemic in Ghana.

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Purpose of the Study

The main aim of this study is to investigate the challenges and opportunities of remotely working

from home during Covid-19 pandemic.

Research Objectives

Specifically the study has the following objectives:

1. To identify and analyze the challenges faced by employees while working from home

in a persistent covid-19 environment.

2. To examine whether there are any opportunities available to employees while working

from home in a persistent covid-19 environment.

3. To determine the productivity level of employees while working from home in a

persistent covid-19 environment.

Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study;

1. What are the challenges faced by employees in Karnataka while working from home in

a persistent covid-19 environment?

2. Are there any opportunities available to employees while working from home in a

persistent covid-19 environment?

3. What is the productivity level of employees while working from home in a persistent

covid-19 environment?

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Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be useful to most companies to be exposed to the

challenges and opportunities that are associated with remote working. The research will aid

management of most companies to device strategies and techniques that will help solve the

challenges associated with remote working in this global pandemic era. In understanding the

opportunities that comes with remote working, companies will be convinced to adopt it as an

alternative means of working alongside the traditional working practice.

Limitations

The sample consisted of a limited number of teleworking professionals working in the

city of Accra hence it might not represent the situation of the entire country. Besides, employing

a probability sampling technique has been difficult due to strict COVID-19 lockdown measures

and employees are busy working remotely.

Scope of the Study

Since the objectives of the study are to analyze the challenges faced by employees during

the outbreak of the covid-19 and to identify changes in the challenges of working from home due

to persistent covid-19. The sample will be collected from selected companies in the capital city

of the country irrespective of the designation of the employees.

Organization of the study

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There are seven (7) chapters in this study. Chapter one gives an overview of the study, which

includes the background, problem statement, study objectives, hypothesis of the study,

significance and the methodology of the study.

Chapter two details the literature review. This is made up of the theoretical review, conceptual

and the empirical review. The theoretical review gives the fundamental understanding of the

theoretical concept of the study. The empirical literature review considers related study carried

out on the challenges and opportunities of remotely working from home during Covid-19

pandemic.

Chapter three focuses on the Environmental and situational analysis of the study. This entails the

internal analysis, external analysis and the identification of key managerial issues.

Chapter four deals with the objectives and strategies of the study. Chapter five will present

emerging business or marketing plan strategies. Chapter six will focus on the implementation

aspect of the study. Chapter seven will contain the summary, conclusions and recommendations

of the study.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

In this chapter, the researcher reviews literature that is essential to Working remotely and

the challenges and opportunities it presents from various sources. The review is done to cover

certain important issues. The study commences by critically examining the relevant theories,

available research already conducted on the topic, as well as the review of the concepts pertinent

to the topic. Other issues the chapter discusses include the effect of remote working on employee

productivity as well as assessing various related literature on the subject.

2.2 Theoretical review

This section provides an overview of two theoretical perspectives suggested by the

literature in relation to telecommuting, which could provide explanation to the study.

2.2.1 Socio-technical System Theory

Socio-technical system (STS) theory explains the interaction between social and

technological factors. It examines the relationships between people, technology, and the work

environment, in order to design work in a way that enhances job satisfaction and increases

productivity (Torraco, 2005). Trist and Bainforth (1951) express that STS was originally

developed to explain the paradox of improved technology but decreased productivity, the theory

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was also applied to the design of remote work. The argument is that employment designs that are

solely based on social systems without taking into account technological factors are sub-optimal.

According to Lawler (1996), the theory's main notion is founded on the idea that in work

designs, there should be a fit between the institution's design characteristics and, more

importantly, a fit between the institution and its surroundings. According to Trist (1981), social

exchange theory essentially suggested a revolution in how organizations and work should be

created. Self-managed teams are essentially the main organization design building pieces,

according to the theory's description (Lawler, 1996; Appelbaum & Batt, 1994; Pasmore, 1988;

Trist, 1981; Macy & Izumi, 1993). Organizations and groups are utilized as analysis units in the

socio-technical systems approach. Although, because it adopts a systems perspective, it

anticipates that analysis will be done at several levels.

This socio-technical systems theory, according to Cummings and Worley (1997), has

been operational in a variety of ways in a number of nations around the world, with fairly high

success rates. Social exchange theorists emphasize that social systems must be optimized. When

using novel trends to over emphasize interactions and activities of workers in pushing a fit

between the technology and workers, balanced approaches disregard the workers' social and

psychological demands. According to the theories, undemanding and repetitious employment

destabilizes both performance motivation and commitment. Close supervision, as well as

competitiveness, at the workgroup level leads to minor deceptions, tension, bad morale, and

scapegoating. Theorists disagree with the rational system's stance that routinizing and

standardizing work needs improves work performance. In its stead, a large amount of social

exchange research has focused on the social psychological qualities of work and the job

attributes required for optimal work design. Managers should emphasize the joblessness aspects

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of high-uncertainty conditions before limiting work to simple roles where people can be trained

quickly and replaced if necessary. They should prepare employees for a variety of duties and

give them the freedom to make changes on their own. Employees should be given

responsibilities that are not related to their employment. One of the principles of STS is minimal

critical specification. Working remotely provides workers with the freedom to decide how and

when to do their tasks (Gajendran & Harrison, 2007). Similarly, workers have the responsibility

to use their equipment and resources to carry out their responsibilities (Morganson, Major,

Oborn, Verive & Heelan, 2010).

2.2.2 Adaptive Structural Theory

Adaptive structural theory proposes that structures (general rules and resources offered

by the technology) can differ from structuration (how people actually use these rules and

resources) (Torraco, 2005). There is interplay between the intended use of technology and the

way that people use the technology. Working remotely provides a social structure that enables

and constrains certain interactions (Bartol, Tesluk & Langa, 2009. AST suggests that when

technologies are used over time, the rules and resources for social interactions will change

(Desanctis & Poole, 1994). Applied to the setting of working remotely, such selection effects can

also have important implications, especially as employees have discretion about whether and to

what extent to engage in the remote work. When individuals are provided with an outside (shirk)

option, they tend to work less on their main task (e.g., Engel 2010). In their natural environment

at home however, the opportunity costs of performing a work-related task are often even higher

than at the workplace (Dutcher 2012). For example, the distractions and alternatives available at

home often provide more benefits than the distractions and alternatives available at the

workplace. Similarly, staying at work for an extra appointment often means lower transaction

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costs for an individual than setting up the technical equipment for a conference call from home.

Consequently, in order to exceed the costs, the expected benefits of an individual working from

home need to be relatively higher than for an individual who performs the same task at the

workplace.

When deciding about whether to engage at a task from home, this cost-benefit tradeoff is

more likely positive for individuals who are highly motivated to perform a task and/or are of

high skill. For such employees the costs of effort are relatively lower and the potential payoff

higher than for low skill/motivation employees. Thus, high skilled/motivated employees will be

less affected by the location of their work but likely engage in a task irrespective of whether it is

at the workplace or whether it is working remotely. Torraco (2005) posits that working remotely

may alter traditional work practices, such as switching from primarily face-to-face

communication to electronic communication.

2.3 Empirical review

In the last three decades, researchers in the field of computer-supported collaborative

work (CSCW) have looked into the factors and technologies that support remote collaboration

(e.g., Ens et al., 2019; Finholt & Sproull, 1990; Gutwin, Penner, & Schneider, 2004; Inkpen,

Hegde, Czerwinski, & Zhang, 2010; Mark, Abrams, & Nassif, 2003; Nardi, 2005; O'Cona Olson

& Olson examined the socio-technical conditions required for effective distance work within

teams of knowledge workers in their seminal paper "Distance Matters," published in 2000. (G.

M. Olson & Olson, 2000). The study lays out a paradigm for efficient remote work that includes

four fundamental concepts: common ground, task coupling, collaboration readiness, and

collaboration technology readiness. According to Olson & Olson, teams "with high common

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ground, loosely coupled work, preparedness both for cooperation and collaboration technology,

have a chance at succeeding with remote work," while pointing out that deviations in each of

these factors may cause a strain on the team, necessitating changes in the work or collaborative

processes to succeed. The fundamental point of the paper, which is frequently cited in the CSCW

literature on remote work, is that distance still counts, even with present and future technologies

– "There will likely always be particular kinds of advantages to being together." In further

additions of their framework, Olson & Olson incorporated the idea of organizational

management to the distance framework, stressing the practices and actions that define distant

collaboration (J. S. Olson & Olson, 2014).

Working remotely adoption, change management, and firm performance were

investigated by Angel, Manuela, Maria, and Pilar (2008). The goal of their research was to look

into the impact of human resource (HR) commitment practices on business performance through

the adoption of remote working practices. The study used structural equation modeling to

conduct a survey of 156 companies in Spain. The level of employees' access to HR commitment

practices and HR social benefits is strongly related to the intensity of working remotely adoption,

and firm performance is positively related to the intensity of working remotely adoption,

functional flexibility, according to the research findings. According to the findings, HR

commitment practices are linked to working remotely in an indirect way.

Working remotely and organizational changes: a middle-managers viewpoint in

organization was studied by Mahmoud and Paul (2003). The goal of the study is to find out how

middle managers feel about the company's decision to implement work-from-home programs.

The study looked at a few selected telecommunications businesses in the United States. The

study had a total of 25 participants, all of whom were chosen from a specific organization. The

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study employed the E-view statistical program to do multiple regression analysis. According to

the data, the majority of managers considered cultural change to be the most challenging obstacle

to overcome when implementing a remote working program.

According to Gallup's annual workplace poll, roughly 43% of employees telecommute on

a daily basis (Gallup 2017). In keeping with this, the popular press and management experts

frequently promote working remotely as a cost-cutting, productivity-boosting, job-satisfaction-

boosting, and better-atmosphere option (e.g., Luciotti 2013, Hess 2016). Cisco, for example,

believes that its remote work strategy saves the company $277 million per year (Cisco Website,

2009). However, there are also drawbacks to working remotely, such as work-life balance

challenges, detrimental effects on the workplace environment, and teamwork issues (e.g.,

Luciotti 2013, Myers 2008). Companies that have long embraced telecommuting are evaluating

the choice by restricting or prohibiting remote work, which supports these views (e.g., Yahoo,

HP, Best Buy).

Bjorn et al. (2014) examined the distance framework's elements in their 2014 article

"Does Distance Still Matter?" through a comparative examination of four ethnographic studies of

global software development. Contrary to the findings of Olson & Olson (2000), their findings

show that in software development teams operating remotely, closely related work tasks enable

distant workers to explain their work in a way that allows collaboration to function. They also

discovered that managerial practices are vital to the collaboration's success, emphasizing the

need of recognizing managerial problems in CSCW study on dispersed work.

The forced switch to Working From Home (WFH) during COVID-19 presents additional

problems such as increased childcare obligations, social isolation, and stress as a result of the

pandemic. In a large-scale study, Yang et al. (2020) looked at how WFH during COVID-19

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influences collaboration in a group of Microsoft US employees. Their findings show that

individual remote collaboration experience prior to WFH moderates the effect of WFH, and that

the medium for interaction has shifted: instant messages were used more frequently, whereas

scheduled meetings were used less frequently. The findings also show that there are more total

collaboration hours, more meeting hours, and fewer focus hours; however, the analysis suggests

that the observed changes are primarily due to factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and

that WFH is likely to decrease collaboration and increase focus time under normal

circumstances. "A change to WFH may be good for individuals engaged in concentrated work

that demands big blocks of free time, but it may be negative for those engaged in highly

collaborative work," the authors conclude. This argument emphasizes the necessity to investigate

the COVID-19 WFH's diverse influence on various types of knowledge workers.

2.4 Remote working and the pandemic

Telework or working remotely refers to work done from multiple locations, such as

home, that allows workers to execute their jobs using information and communication

technologies (Nilles, 1997; Perez et al., 2003). Working remotely is viewed as a viable

alternative to traditional work organization. It drew the attention of academics and practitioners

because it allows workers to work from home or wherever they like (typically at home). Working

remotely boosts productivity, according to earlier studies (e.g., Davenport & Pearlson, 1998;

Cascio, 2000), and workers who work from home have a larger perceived increase in quality

(Baruch 2000). It also aids in the continuation of corporate operations and the maintenance of

operational capacity amid calamities (Black et al, 2010). However, due to the closure of schools,

fitness centers, and travel limitations, workers working remotely experienced more stress during

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the Covid-19 lockdowns (Ralph P. et al,2020). Frustration, anxiety, and terror intensified due to

the intensity of the pandemic, which is connected with uncertainty and isolation (Taha et al.

2014). As a result, workers working remotely during disasters may feel demotivated (Dennelly

and Proctor –Thomas, 2015). As a result, the traditional benefits of working remotely may not be

available in a protracted pandemic situation. The way people work changes as their social and

technological settings and trends change. Workers at various companies now have more freedom

and flexibility than ever before to work from locations other than the "conventional" workplace.

The term "conventional office" refers to a workplace where individuals mostly work on

computers but are still present in the same location. It mostly concerns people who operate on

their own at a computer, such as bank employees, insurance business employees, and employees

with various administrative roles in the corporation. People desire to work in a more cost-

effective, speedier, and environmentally friendly manner. One of the flexibilities is remote work,

which is described as "doing work at a location other than one's primary office" in this article

(Jensen Perry et al., 2018). It's crucial to remember that remote work doesn't always have to be

established in response to a crisis like COVID-19; in some businesses, it might simply be a

"natural" way of working, even in "regular" times when no external crisis pushes them to do so.

According to the report, various studies have confirmed that people who have the freedom to

work from home are happier, which leads to fewer turnovers. When employees work from home,

they are more likely to work harder and handle their lengthy work hours better. Another essential

challenge is striking a balance between work and personal life. Even though it can be difficult,

studies suggest that those who work remotely have fewer difficulties linked to work-family

balance (Jensen Perry et al., 2018).

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 With the rapid growth of remote work on a global scale, issues about how to make

remote work genuinely function and how to successfully transition to remote work are becoming

increasingly common. Managers and employees are in an unprecedented scenario that

necessitates sweeping changes to the current office structure and the concept of modern office

work. Despite the fact that the number of people working remotely is increasing, most people

still only work from home a few days each week and spend the rest of their time in the office.

According to census data from the United States, less than 5% of remote workers work full-time

remotely (United States Census Bureau, 2018), and organizations in general are unprepared for

this unexpected shift, according to Neeley (2020). What resources a firm needs to manage a

crisis and be able to work remotely varies from company to company. There are four important

motivations for an organization that needs to do work in a virtual world, according to Staples et

al. (2006). The first is information technology (IT), which is critical in working's virtual

workplace. It allows employees to work from home, bosses to maintain control over the

organization, and employees to communicate with one another. Effective communication

between the boss and the employee is the second essential driver. Finally, expertise and training

from remote management/work with the arrangements surrounding it, as well as successful

management practices, which include the managers' perception of what is feasible, so that

meeting, performance, and other expectations are realistic.

Remote employment is linked to higher productivity (Bloom et al., 2013, Choudhury et

al., 2019), with some indications of higher actual income (Choudhury et al., 2019). However,

there are also disadvantages to remote working, such as feelings of isolation and loneliness

(Bloom et al., 2013, Choudhury et al., 2019, Grant et al., 2013, Jensen Perry et al., 2018).

Working from home helps to blend business and personal life, blurring the lines between the

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two. This has been interpreted as both positive and negative, with those with families seeing

increased socialization at home as a positive, but those without families seeing increased stress

and incapability to leave work when the workday ends as a negative (Grant et al., 2013). Some

distant employees missed their coworkers' sociability, but others found it in their families or

important others. Remote work also eliminates the need for commuting, decreasing the stress and

loss of wellbeing that comes with a daily commute, as well as the carbon emissions that would

have been produced otherwise by the commuter (Bloom et al., 2013, Chatterjee et al., 2020,

Choudhury et al., 2019). The one similarity between the majority of the studies we've looked at

while writing this thesis and what would set our study apart from the rest is that the subjects in

the preceding literature worked remotely by choice, but our subjects work remotely by necessity.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant shift in how many organizations

operate. This has resulted in a significant increase in remote workers with little or no prior

experience working remotely from companies and organizations that are most likely unprepared

for this change (Neely, 2020). Furthermore, these remote workers are largely involuntary and

would not be working remotely if the ongoing crisis had not occurred. As a result, many

employees and supervisors are grappling with the common challenges that come when working

remotely, such as loneliness, feeling left out, a lack of motivation, and difficulty separating work

and personal life (Grant, et al., 2013).

2.5 Factors affecting working remotely

2.5.1 Time management

One of the major benefits of working remotely is the ability to plan work around the

needs of the employee (Gurstein, 2001; Morgan, 2004); this is especially beneficial for parents

with young children. In a persistent covid-19 situation, when all members of the family are

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present at home, managing time for work and family might be difficult (Chung et al., 2020; Ford

et al., 2020; Raiien et al., 2020). When personnel are unable to manage their time and take longer

to complete tasks. As a result, employees are under more mental strain.

2.5.2 Supervisory support and trust

According to Lapierre et al., (2015), the more workers who work from home, the less

likely they are to receive help from their boss. This could be due to a lack of visibility (Cooper

and Kurland, 2002). The employee's success while remote working is determined by their self-

confidence and the trust they develop with their coworkers and superiors. During covid-19,

workers who work from home believe they receive less assistance from their superiors (Chung et

al., 2020; Raiien et al., 2020).

2.5.3 Lack of interaction

Working from home causes social isolation, which is considered one of the major

drawbacks of working from home (Wilson and Greenhill, 2004). Because employees must work

from home, they are unable to maintain the same level of communication that they would have

had while working in the office. As a result, remote workers feel isolated from their coworkers at

the office (Bailey and Kurland, 2002). In their study, Prasad et al. (2020) discovered that

employees in India experienced inadequate engagement with higher authorities during the first

Covid-19 lockdown because to a lack of good network connectivity. Organizations overcome the

issue of low connectivity as employees continued to work remotely thanks to covid-19 (Butler

and Jaffe, 2021). Additionally, workers who work remotely may not see a reduction in their

social life as a result of the pandemic. Employees may not feel isolated when most family

members are at home due to the pandemic because they can interact with family members and, in

the case of working couples, they can support each other with work (Chung et al., 2020; Ford et

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al., 2020; Raiien et al., 2020). As a result, while working remotely during the pandemic, the risk

of feeling isolated may be reduced.

2.5.4 Pressure of family members and pets

Working remotely has been noted in earlier research as a way for employees to care for

their families (Ammons and Markham, 2004; Johnson et al., 2007). This may not be the case in

the long-term presence of covid-19. In general, family members (for example, spouses and

children) used to leave the house for various activities such as schooling and offices during older

sorts of working remotely. However, during the Covid-19, all members of the family, whether

children, spouses, or others, stay at home, which may have a detrimental impact on work. As a

result, pressure may be felt (Chung et al., 2020; Ford et al., 2020; Prasad et al., 2020; Raiien et

al., 2020). As a result, characteristics relating to family, such as children, spouse, and family

type, are included in the current study. Those who have pets are also disturbed.

2.5.5 Physical infrastructure

One of the most critical variables of remote working success is physical infrastructure. In

their study, Bailey and Kurland (2002) found that an inconvenient working environment has a

detrimental impact on employee productivity. Working remotely during the Covid-19 epidemic

was a surprising adjustment, as most IT employees had no preparedness for working remotely

and lacked proper working ergonomics (Chung et al., 2020; Ford et al., 2020; Raiien et al.,

2020). 'There were communication challenges due to internet faults,' according to Prasad et al.,

(2020), indicating a lack of infrastructure. However, in the face of a sustained epidemic,

corporations may have given certain basic amenities for employees to work from home, and

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employees may have established their own physical working environment. As a result, the

physical infrastructure difficulty may have evolved as the pandemic progressed.

2.5.6 Increased mental stress

During the pandemic, employees working remotely are likely to be under more stress. It

could be due to ineffective time management between work and family, longer time to complete

tasks, insufficient physical infrastructure, and other issues. IT industry professionals working

from home during Covid -19 are suffering greater levels of mental stress, according to the Prasad

et al., (2020) and Butler and Jaffe, (2021) studies.

2.5.7 Organizational support and communication channels

Employee motivation and productivity can be boosted by using equipment such as

computers, reassurance (for example, accepting lower productivity during a pandemic),

guarantee of job security and no-salary cuts, connectedness through virtual socialization, self-

care for employees, exercise materials, and technical infrastructure (VPNs). If these amenities

aren't available, working from home becomes a struggle (Ford et al., 2020; Raiien et al., 2020).

2.6 Challenges of Working remotely

The boundary theory can help you comprehend the difficulties of working remotely when

you're not in a regular office setting. Individuals create and maintain borders to simplify and

order the environment, according to the boundary theory. People cross many physical, temporal,

and psychological borders as they go from one sector of existence to another (for example, from

work to home) (Clark, 2000). Telecommuting, on the other hand, blurs the lines between work

and non-work. Without such constraints, the odds of work and non-work roles colliding are

rather high, resulting in unfavorable outcomes (Raghuram and Weisenfeld, 2004). Traditional

professions are challenged by the changing physical, temporal, and psychological limits required

22
for remote working. Because residences are the most prevalent off-site work location, the

physical borders between home and work are typically non-existent while telecommuting. The

removal of the physical barrier between home and work may encourage remote workers to work

more hours per week, particularly during the time saved by not having to go to work

(Sardeshmukh et al., 2012). Telecommuters may find the extended work hours, as well as the

separation from coworkers, stressful and demanding. It will be interesting to see if this study

uncovers any comparable issues.

2.7 Working remotely and Productivity

Self-efficacy is the most generally connected idea with productivity while working

remotely. It is a person's assessment of his prospects of successfully carrying out specified

obligations. Any person who has a high level of self-efficacy will be more productive and

perform better. A high level of self-efficacy among workers has been shown to have a good

impact on their job productivity and performance, in addition to the teleworking system

(Bandura, 2006). It has been stated that self-efficacy is a critical aspect in establishing

professional success. Self-efficacy is a critical process via which an individual's performance and

productivity are influenced by a goal or purpose. As a result, if the workforce does not accept

and commit to achieving the organization's purpose, it will be impossible to achieve (Valentin,

2013). Mayfield and Mayfield (2012) have also pointed out that self-efficacy has a positive and

significant impact on job performance. As a result, the current research sought to determine if

professional employees regard themselves as productive. It has also attempted to establish

whether professionals get more work done remotely than at on-site sites.

2.8 Opportunities presented by working remotely

23
 Working remotely allows greater organizational flexibility and a better capacity to

quickly respond to unexpected events. It allows for a more efficient usage of the organization’s

information system, particularly during non-office hours e.g., at night and on weekends (Gordon

& Kelly, 1996; Hamilton, 2016). Furthermore, working remotely reduces the constraints

imposed by traditional work environments, increases the cohesion between work and family life,

and makes the employees feel that their organizations cared about them. Improved productivity

and quality of work are associated with working remotely (Huws, 2013). Others are lower levels

of interference and interruptions, better work environment, the possibility of choosing more

convenient working hours, more time spent working, and a stronger focus on achieving the

required results rather than simply being physically present at work (Guimaraes & Dallow,

1999). Remote work also decreases the available control options for the firm relative to those

available at work. At the workplace there is a large variety of controls available, such as formal

output controls, but also more informal, cultural controls like mutual monitoring and group

pressure (e.g., Merchant and Van der Stede 2017). For example, research in laboratories and the

field shows that the mere presence of a co-worker in the same room can influence individuals’

behavior (Falk and Ichino 2006). Furthermore, Brüggen and Moers (2007) show that social

incentives in form of social norms can mitigate distorted financial incentives in effort allocation

decisions. Thus, prior literature has shown that such informal controls can often complement

formal output control and mitigate some of their weaknesses. However, while these informal

controls are in place at work, they are harder to implement or less salient in a remote working

environment.

Chapter summary

24
 Working remotely is defined as a work practice in which employees work some or all of

their regular working hours away from the office, typically from home, at a client site, or at an

agreed-upon location, executing work duties and communicating with others by technological

means (Allen, Golden, & Shockley, 2015; Nilles, 1998). Working remotely, according to

Amstad, Meier, Fasel, Elfering, and Semmer (2011), is a work arrangement that allows

employees to work from home or another agreed-upon location while communicating with their

employers via information and communication technologies (ICT). Working remotely, also

known as telework, is the use of telecommunication technology to enable employees to do their

job or duties remotely, in compliance with work agreements, according to Clark (2008). Because

of the increased pressure on businesses to minimize costs, boost employee productivity, and take

advantage of the opportunities and difficulties given by the COVID-19 pandemic, working

remotely as a business practice has risen dramatically (Potter, 2013).

CHAPTER THREE

COMPANY PROFILE AND METHODOLGY

3.1 Introduction

This part of the study presents the processes and the procedures through which data were

collected as well as the profile of the study organizations. Essentially, the segment examines the

research approach, study design, population, sample and sampling procedure, research

instruments, data collection procedure and data analysis technique.

3.2 Profile of study organizations

25
 3.2.1 Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd.

Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. is the oldest insurance company in Ghana having

been in operation since 1924. It takes its roots from the Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation

of the United Kingdom, which commenced business in the Gold Coast in 1924, then became

Guardian Royal Exchange Ghana Limited (GREG) and subsequently, Enterprise Insurance

Company Limited. Enterprise insurance is a leading Insurer in Fire, Marine, Motor and General

Accident. Enterprise Insurance’s first offices were located at the current offices of the Institute of

Chartered Accountants on what was then Horse Road (and now Asafoatse Nettey Road). In

1952, after 28 years as an agency, the Royal Exchange Assurance was registered as an insurance

company in the Gold Coast to provide the full complement of life and non-life insurance

business. Enterprise Insurance is Ghana’s largest private insurer with its head office located at

Advantage Place, Mayor Road, Ridge-West, Accra. This study was carried out at the head office.

3.2.2 Ghana Reinsurance PLC

Ghana Reinsurance PLC (Ghana Re) is the oldest reinsurance company in Ghana. The

company commenced operations in 1972 as the Ghana Reinsurance Organization. Ghana Re was

formed out of the reinsurance department of the then State Insurance Company. In 1984, Ghana

Re gained autonomy and became a Limited Liability Company in 1995. The government of

Ghana is the sole shareholder of the company. Besides its head office in Accra, it has three other

offices in Cameroon, Kenya and Morocco (Ghana RE | Home, n.d.).

A Board of Directors appointed by the government governs the company. Two Deputy

Managing Directors assist the Managing Director in running the company’s day-to-day

operations. Regional Directors head the subsidiaries, and the company has a staff strength of

seventy (70) employees across all its offices (Ghana RE | Home, n.d.). Up until 1994, Ghana Re

26
was the only reinsurance company in Ghana. The company enjoyed a legal cession where all

licensed insurance companies in the country had to cede 20% of their non-life business to it

without commission in addition to 5% of every general business contract.

As the biggest domestic reinsurer in the country, Ghana Re maintains a solid competitive

position and continues to expand its Pan-African business. The company writes businesses from

the whole of Africa, excluding South Africa. Although Ghana Re no longer enjoys the legal

cession, the domestic market contributes approximately 55% of its revenue, with the remaining

45% coming from the African continent. Ghana Re’s professionalism and customer orientation

has placed it as one of the leading reinsurers on the international market, whilst their global

partnerships have provided the company with the capacity to provide a wide range of reinsurance

services for its clients. Ghana Re offers a broad range of treaty and facultative reinsurance for all

classes of insurance business. The company aims at providing added value services through

financial protection, technical expertise and professional service to over 300 companies on the

African continent. The protection which Ghana Re offers is secured by the financial might of the

company built up over its fifty (50) years of professional underwriting and sound investment of

funds.

3.3 Research approach

A quantitative research method was used in which questionnaire results was ascertained

for analysis as the questions to be used in the survey questionnaire was aimed at identifying

particular trends or feelings of the respondents in relation to each question or statement posed. A

positivist research strategy will thus be the appropriate research strategy to use as Cohen and

Crabtree (2006) had suggested that the positivist paradigm is grounded in the theoretical belief

27
that there is an objective reality that can be known to the researcher if the researcher uses the

correct methods and applies those methods in a correct manner. The researcher’s approach was

objective as the intent will not be to purposely sway the result in one direction or the other but

rather focus on the results of the data to be collected. The target population was the entire

Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. personnel at the head office. A census approach was used to

maximize the response rate. There is a total of 150 personnel within the Enterprise Insurance

Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC who were approached to take part of the study. This

included personnel at different levels and with different experiences within the company. A

probability sampling strategy was used with a simple random sampling technique. The total

number of the target population was taken as N = 150 and the sampled participants as taken as n

= 110.

3.4 Study Design

According to Muhammad Yousaf (2018), a research design is a systematic approach that

a researcher uses to conduct a scientific study. It is the overall synchronization of identified

components and data resulting in a plausible outcome. Since the research seeks to ascertain

Working remotely and the challenges and opportunities it presents, the survey design was

suitable.

Hughes (2012) expounded that surveys are unbiased approach to decision-making when

undertaking research. It has also been found out that polls about public opinion, public health

surveys, market research surveys, government surveys and census are all examples of

quantitative research that use contemporary survey methodology to answer questions about a

28
population. The merits of using surveys are that firstly, surveys are relatively inexpensive, are

useful in describing the characteristics of a large population, can be administered in many

modes; and lastly, the anonymity of surveys allows respondents to answer with much more

candidness and to also provide valid answers.

In spite of its numerous benefits, surveys also have a number of demerits, such as; the

possibility that respondents may not feel encouraged to provide accurate and honest answers,

respondents may not feel comfortable providing answers that present them in an unfavorable

manner, surveys with closed-ended questions may have a lower validity rate than other question

types, and also data errors arising from unanswered questions could offset the validity of the

study. These limitations, notwithstanding, the survey design was suitable for this research.

3.5 Population

Bernard (2010) described population as all the elements that meet the criteria for

inclusion in a study. The eligibility criteria refer to a list of characteristics that are required for

the membership of the population. In this research, the population consisted of all permanent

employees of the Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC According to

the Human Resource Department of the companies, the population of the Enterprise Insurance

Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC staff was a combined figure of 150.

3.6 Sample and Sampling Procedure

29
 The sample, from the perspective of Guba and Lincoln (2013) is the selection of

respondents from a particular population. Burns and Grove (2013) referred to sampling as the

process of selecting a group of people, events or behaviour with which to conduct a study. In

sampling respondents, this study adopted the purposive sampling technique also known as the

judgmental sampling technique. In this form of sampling technique, the researcher uses judgment

to select the subjects to be included in the study based on their knowledge of the phenomenon.

The purposive sampling is therefore a method of sampling where the researcher deliberately

chooses who to include in the study based on their ability to provide the necessary data.

In this research, the chosen sample size is 110 permanent employees from Enterprise

Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC. Based on this number, 110 questionnaires

were developed and distributed to these participants retrospectively. Out of this, 100 of them

responded, which represented a 94% response rate.

3.7 Data Collection Instrument

In this study, the Five Point Likert Scale model was used. The Likert Scale model of the

questionnaire design is a psychological measurement ranging from “strongly agree to strongly

disagree”. The items on the questionnaire which are rated on a 5-point Likert-types scale; which

range from five (5) (which correspond exactly) to one (1) (which does not correspond at all). In

terms of assigning variables or scoring, the “Strongly Agree” = 5; “Agree” = 4; “Neutral” = 3;

“Disagree” = 2 and “Strongly Disagree” = 1.

The reason why the questionnaire instrument was used is because according Milne (2009), the

questionnaire responses are gathered in a standardized way, and as such they are much more

objective as compared to other forms of instruments such as interviews. It is relatively easy to

30
collect data using questionnaire and lastly, data can be collected from a large number of

audiences.

3.8 Data Collection Procedure

Huberman and Miles (2008) identified data collection as detailed, systematic, collection

of pertinent data to the research sub-problems, using instruments such as questionnaires,

interview guide, participants’ observation and case histories etc. The human resource managers’

help was solicited in the selection of potential respondents.

3.9 Data Analysis Technique

Huberman and Miles (2008) identified data analysis as comprising of three synchronized

flows of activities; that is, the reduction of data, the presentation of data and the conclusions

segment. In this study, the data from the respondents were first sorted, organized and edited: This

was done in conformity with the research objectives of the study. There were also the allocations

of questions together with their respective components within the questionnaire so that responses

were organized properly for effective analysis. Finally, the descriptive data were then analyzed

using the Statistical Package for Service Solution (SPSS) version 25.0.

3.10 Ethical Considerations

The rights of respondents were protected by maintaining the anonymity of the

respondents as it is imperative in research ethics. Data obtained from the respondents were not

used for any purpose other than the study. There was no maleficence or manipulation of the data

for any nefarious or unethical usage. Respondents were given absolute freedom to answer the

31
questionnaire and there was no coercion or anything of the sort on the part of the researcher or

supervisors.

Chapter summary

This part of the study elaborates the research methods employed including the research

design and approach, the study area, population, sample and sampling procedure, as well as the

data collection procedures, instruments and analysis technique used. The chapter also stressed

the profile of the study organizations and ethical considerations as well.

CHAPTER FOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SITUATIONAL ANALYSES

4.1 Introduction

This part of the study discusses the internal and external analyses of Enterprise Insurance

Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC in collection. Essentially, it analyses the strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities and threats that exist for the study organizations. Furthermore, an

32
industry analysis has been presented in this chapter. Key managerial issues that are necessary for

development of Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC have also been

identified in this chapter.

4.2 Environmental Analysis

Activities relating to the company’s business are carried out under the influence of

numerous factors of the external and internal nature. Dependence of the company from its

external environment may be explained based on its dependence on resources and information

necessary for efficient decision-making. The environment is a place where a company finds its

resources, which are after the transformation process returned to the environment in the form of

finished products or services. The environment represents a source of information required for

strategic decision-making. A situational analysis identifies elements that influence the

company’s business where future strategic directions are defined based on the results of the

analysis.

On the other hand, thanks to high flexibility and innovativeness, it is easier for smaller

organizations to change their strategic behavior than for the large ones and they are able to

quicker adapt to new market demands. In light of this the analysis of Ghana Reinsurance PLC

and Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd.’s environment, will be done in this regard.

4.2.1 External Environment Analysis

External environment analysis is a process of scanning and evaluation of the external

environment of a company. The purpose of the analysis is to identify threats and chances that the

company is facing by analyzing factors of its external environment. Chances (opportunities) are

33
positive changes that can help an organization to achieve better business performance. Threats

are negative changes that can downgrade business performance of an organization. A situational

analysis implies carrying out an external environment analysis. Peter Drucker, a father of

modern management, wrote the following: “a winning strategy will require information about

events and conditions outside the institution: non-consumers, technologies other than currently

used by the company and its present competitors, markets not currently served and so on”

(Coulter, 2010).

Opportunities: These are the circumstances surrounding the organization or society in a

specific location and time period that the it can exploit to achieve strategic goals. Successful

institutions do not wait for opportunities to present themselves, but must work hard and conduct

constant research to create and exploit them in order to maximize their goals and achieve

competitive advantage. The growth in the insurance sector means that human capital

management is of importance to ensure profitability of the company. This is because the life

blood of every organization is how it effectively manages its human capital to enhance its

success and effective performance. Durn and Cheatham (2011), document that most firms have

collapsed due to poor human resource controls. The opportunities available to Enterprise

Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC include; a growing economy, new high-

yield investment products, insurance deregulation, increase in the average subscription rate.

Threats: In managing human capital, firms are much interested in how it can lead to their

effective overall performance. In light of this pursuit, Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. and

Ghana Reinsurance PLC encounters threats that have potential impact on their company

performance goals. Some of the threats that are faced by the company included in this study are;

34
increased capital gains taxes, more competitors in the marketplace, the availability of skilled and

qualified personnel to competing firms.

4.2.2 Internal Environment Analysis

An internal environment analysis offers important information about organizational

assets, skills and operations – what is good, what is missing or whether there are any shortages.

The most important part of this analysis implies assessment of organizational resources,

capacities and key competencies. An internal environment analysis is important because it is the

only way to identify strengths and weaknesses of an organization and it is crucial for the

adoption of good strategic decisions (Dess, Lumpkin, Eisner, 2007). In the process of identifying

internal strengths and weaknesses numerous techniques may be used: “value chain” concept,

portfolio analysis, gap analysis, break-even point, life cycle of the organization, etc.

Strengths: The strengths of the Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance

PLC used for this study include; high customer retention, higher than average checking account

balances, high-yield rates, product line diversification, low staff turnover and low overhead. A

company with low staff turnover rate means that the company is utilizing its human asset

effectively to achieve its performance goals. On the other hand, a company with high staff

turnover rate means the company is not using its human resources effectively. These factors were

used to analyze the listed strengths.

Weaknesses: The weaknesses identified of Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana

Reinsurance PLC considered for this study are the lack of capacity and the inability to compete

with bigger companies in the insurance industry especially with respect to economy of scales.

Other weaknesses of some Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC

35
include low customer satisfaction, poor website features, low staff morale, high loan rates, low

brand recognition or a minimal product line.

4.3 Industry analysis

Industry analysis is a market assessment tool used by businesses and analysts to

understand the competitive dynamics of an industry. It helps them get a sense of what is

happening in an industry. The Insurance industry has been characterized by intense competition

and profitability in recent years. This analysis will aid firms in this industry to forecast demand

and supply and, consequently, financial returns from the business. It indicates the

competitiveness of the industry and costs associated with entering and exiting the industry. It

also helps to identify which stage an industry is currently in; whether it is still growing and there

is scope to reap benefits, or has it reached its saturation point. One of the most famous models

ever developed for industry analysis, famously known as Porter’s 5 Forces, was introduced by Michael

Porter in his 1980 book “Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. ” According to

Porter, analysis of the five forces gives an accurate impression of the industry and makes

analysis easier. The industry analysis in this study is done to reflect these forces.

4.3.1 Threats of new entrants

Concerns the possibility that profits earned by companies which have already established

themselves in the industry are reduced because of the arrival of new competitors. The level of

danger depends on existing barriers to new entrants and on combined reactions of the

competitors. If the barriers to new entrants are high or if a new entrant may anticipate sharp

response that will follow by existing competitors, then, the threat of new entrants is small. Such

circumstances discourage new competitors. If a new company may start its business with a little

36
investment and to efficiently operate despite of a small volume of operations, then, it will most

probably represent a threat. The minimum capital requirement and operational obligations make

the insurance industry in Ghana a little difficult to enter as compared with other industries. And

as such, companies face a constant set of competitors.

4.3.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Buyers may threaten the industry by causing the prices to drop, by continuously

demanding better quality or better services and by turning the competitors against each other.

Such activities reduce profitability. In the Insurance industry in Ghana, the potential subscribers

have a pool of options to choose from because of the existing competition and as such the

bargaining power of the subscribers is high.

4.3.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Suppliers may show their power over members of the industry by threatening to raise

prices or reduce the quality of the purchased goods or services. Many suppliers may extract

profit out of some companies to such an extent that they are unable to even get return on their

investments in raw materials. Factors that make suppliers powerful are the reflection of those

forces that make buyers powerful. The products offered by insurance companies in Ghana do not

depend on external supplies so the bargaining power of these suppliers, if any, is little to non-

existent.

4.3.4 Threats of substitute products

Substitutes limit the potential yield in the industry by limiting the level of prices that

enable the producers in the industry to earn profit. The more attractive price index, the less likely

is that the products in the industry will earn profit. The insurance industry faces fierce

competition from other companies in other industries who offer similar products to the market.

37
For instance, some banks and financial institutions now are offering insurance products which

seem to pose a threat to the insurance industry.

4.3.5 Rivalry among existing competitors in the industry

Often turns into a race for the best position possible. The companies use tactics –

competitive prices, advertising campaigns, introduction of new products, customer services,

offering longer warranty periods and so on. Intense rivalry is a result of several intertwined

factors: multiple equal competitors, sluggish growth within the industry, high fixed costs or

storage costs, undifferentiated products, switching costs, gradual capacity increases, high barriers

to exit. The insurance industry in Ghana is encompassed by lack of differentiation in products

and this tends to add to the intensity of competition. High exit costs such as high fixed assets,

government restrictions, labor unions, etc. also make the competitors fight the battle a little

harder.

4.4 Key Managerial Issues

A substantial amount of planning must take place to accommodate specific policies and

procedures, technology selection, training, technical support, cost and budget management, and

remote workers’ satisfaction for this task to be effective in Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd.

and Ghana Reinsurance PLC. Ghanaian organizations must begin by carefully planning and

documenting the key phases of the implementation. These factors in the view of Turetken, Jain,

Quesenberry & Ngwenyama (2011) include: eligibility, personal factors, professionalism,

dependability, communication and resourcefulness. On eligibility, it should not be assumed that

an employee with a history of excellent performance in the office would be able to replicate

his/her results at home (Turetken, Jain, Quesenberry, & Ngwenyama, 2011). Remote workers

should possess certain personality traits, to be effective when working way from the work

38
premises. They should be team players, good communicators, and should have a reasonable

amount of knowledge of the technologies used for remote working. Again, the candidate must

demonstrate that she or he can be depended upon. Dependability can be assessed by evaluating

the punctuality of the employee and how promptly e-mails or calls are replied. Most importantly,

such employee must have demonstrated that she/he can be relied upon by successful completion

of prior assignments (Schieman & Young, 2013). A good remote workers should be able to

handle any challenges that come up in the course of discharging assigned duties because

managers/ supervisors may not always be available all the time to answer questions, and the

Remote workers is expected to resolve these challenges independently. Resourcefulness could be

evaluated by how the remote workers have handled project-related issues in the past and the

ability to find feasible solutions to prior challenges demonstrates problem-solving skills required

while working alone (Turetken, Jain, Quesenberry, & Ngwenyama, 2011). Even though remote

working has become more common, it is not without critics and drawbacks. Disadvantages

related to remote working include the potential lack of control on employees, the difficulty to

build a well-functioning work environment, challenges in managing a corporate culture, and

increasing information asymmetry between supervisors and subordinates (e.g., Siha and Monroe

2006; Ruth 2011). Consistent with these arguments, Yahoo recently banned remote working such

that employees could communicate and collaborate better (Guynn, 2013). For similar reasons,

Best Buy followed in abandoning remote working (Schafer 2013).

Chapter summary

This chapter has successfully elaborated on the internal and external analyses of

Enterprise Insurance Company Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC in collection. It went further

39
ahead to stress the key managerial issues that affect the company in terms of its remote working

goals, with employee effectiveness qualities as the pivotal focus.

CHAPTER FIVE

RESULTS AND ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION

5.1 Introduction

40
 This chapter presents the results of the data gathered for the purpose of this study. This

part of the study reviews and discusses the results as alternative courses of action for

inefficiencies in the study organizations’ performances. This discussion is done in two parts; the

first part discusses the biographic data of respondents; while the other aspect of the chapter

discusses the alternatives in line with the study’s objectives.

5.2 Biographic Data of the Respondents

The study took cognizance of the biographic data of respondents and therefore collected

data on gender, age and the experiences of respondents.

5.2.1 Gender

Per the data collected, it was found out that out of the 100 respondents, seventy-six,

representing (76%) of the respondents were males; while 24 respondents, representing 24% were

females. This implies that there were more males than females and this finding corroborates what

the Ghana Living Standard Survey V (GLSSV, 2005/2006) conducted by the Ghana Statistical

services (GSS) found. From those studies it was found that males recorded a higher economic

activity rate (54.9%) compared to females (45.1 %) (Ghana Statistical Service, 2010). The Ghana

Living Standard Survey V (GLSSV, 2005/2006) further found that among the working age

population (15 to 64) there were more males (25%) in wage employment compared to females

(8.2 %) (Ghana Statistical Service, 2010). The reason why there were more males than females

was due to males being traditionally the bread winners in most Ghanaian homes and this possibly

spurs them to work than their female counterparts. Another reason is that more males were more

interested in the study than their female colleagues.

41
 5.2.2 Age Distribution of the Respondents

It was found from the data gathered that 45 respondents (45%) were between the ages of

20 and 30 years. Thirty-two respondents (32%), were between the ages of 31 and 40 years.

Whereas respondents, between the ages of 41and 50 were 20 respondents (20%); while three

(3%) were between the ages of 51 and 60 years. From the statistics provided, it is apparent that a

sizeable number of the respondents employed by Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd. and Ghana

Reinsurance PLC was youth and therefore more inclined towards productivity as highlighted by

Barnett (2008) and Karjaluoto, (2012). He also explained that young people are used to learning;

and if they have just come into the organization, they still retain a mindset that allows them to

absorb training more readily. As they don’t have a huge amount of previous experience young

people are essentially a ‘blank slate’. This affords their employer an opportunity to develop a

workforce of young people specifically trained to meet their organizational needs. Also,

millennials have grown up around technology. Their natural affinity for technology and their

ability to apply and understand different technologies quickly sets them apart from other

generations within the workforce. Thus, recruiting young people has a positive and important

impact in driving business forward in the adoption and use of new software and technology. The

statistics presented is summarized in Figure 5.1.

42
 50

45

40

35

30

25
45
20

32
15

10 20

5
3
0
20 - 30 Years 31 - 40 Years 41 - 50 Years 51 - 60 Years

Figure 5.1: Age distribution of the respondents

5.2.3 Educational Background of the Respondents

The study revealed that out of the 100 respondents, ten (10) representing (10%) had

HND; twenty-eight (28) respondents had degree; fifty-seven (57) respondents, representing 57%

had varying postgraduate qualifications; while five (5%) respondents had other qualifications

other than those mentioned. From the statistics, it is evident that the insurance sector of Ghana

employs people with strong educational background. From the statistics provided, it is clear that

Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC employ people with good

educational background. From the perspective of Barnett (2008), having employees with higher

education can allow employees to keep up to date with business and professional developments;

as continuous professional development (CPD) is required in specific professions improve

employees’ chances of progressing within an organization and make a higher value contribution

to the success of the organization. Also, education improves employees’ earnings potential

43
within the organization and the industry they work in; and lastly, education develops staff

“employability” skills; transferable skills such as numeracy, communication and information

technology. The statistics provided is summarized in figure 5.2.

Postgraduate
Degree
HND
Other
Other Degree
Postgraduate
5%
HND
10%

Figure 5.2 Educational background of the respondents

Source: Field Data (2022)

5.2.4 Experience acquired by respondents

It was found from the study that 37 respondents (37%) had between 0 and 5 years of

experience. Forty-six (46) respondents, representing 46% had between 6 and 10 years of

experience. Whereas those who had between 11 and 15 years of experience were 11 respondents

(11%); six (6) respondents, representing 6% of the entire respondents had more than 16 years of

experience. From the study, it is apparent that Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd. and Ghana

Reinsurance PLC had staff with significant amount of experience: This according to Agwu

(2012) owes to the fact that the insurance industry is a highly technical sector and therefore

44
requires well educated and experienced personnel to effectively manage diverse stakeholder

interests. The statistics provided is summarized in table 5.1.

Table 5.1: Experiences acquired by respondents

Experience Frequency Percentage

0 – 5 years 37 37

6 – 10 years 46 46

11 – 15 years 11 11

Above 16 years 6 6

Total 100 100

Source: Field Data (2022)

5.3 Objective One: Challenges faced by employees while working from home in a persistent

covid-19 environment

The purpose of this part of the study was to determine the challenges faced by employees

while working from home in a persistent covid-19 environment at Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd.

and Ghana Reinsurance PLC. The participating respondents were then asked to rate each of

these assertions.

Table 5.2: Challenges faced by employees while working from home in a persistent covid-

19 environment

Statement Mean Std. Dev

I do not have all infrastructure to work at home 3.61 0.244

I am finding difficulty in scheduling my time to family and work 5.21 1.005

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 I am Facing Low Internet speed 3.54 0.445

I have Pressure from my family 3.61 0.244

I do not get all supervisory support from higher authority 2.86 1.365

I am feeling lack of face-to-face interaction 4.28 0.962

I feel working from home decreased my social life 5.32 0.654

Research data (2022)

Standard deviation and mean were utilized as descriptive statistics. The mean was used to

determine the average value of the data, while the standard deviation was used to determine the

dispersion in the obtained data. A high mean indicates that the majority of respondents agree

with the statement presented to them, yet a low standard deviation indicates that their reaction is

dispersed. According to the responses, respondents agreed that they do not have all infrastructure

to work at home with a mean of 3.61 and a standard deviation of 0.244, they also agreed that

they are finding difficulty in scheduling their time to family and work with a mean of 5.21 and a

standard deviation of 1.005, and that they feel working from home decreased their social lives

with a mean of 5.32 and standard deviation of 0.654 while the study’s respondents were not sure

whether they do not get all supervisory support from higher authority with mean of 2.86 and

standard deviation of 1.365.

Random connections, collaborations, brainstorming, and team-building possibilities were

all diminished at home, according to respondents. They missed their office atmosphere and

46
found it difficult to concentrate at home because of the distracting work environment. Some

respondents indicated discontent with the increased number of meetings, while others

complained primarily about meetings being held online, which they believed reduced their

productivity. Working from home (WFH) was unpopular among some respondents because they

lacked a sufficient work place at home. Other issues with work equipment include a lack of

office furniture in the home working environment and a poor internet connection. Finally, some

respondents believed it was difficult to motivate their coworkers and manage projects remotely.

5.4 Objective Two: Opportunities available to employees while working from home in a

persistent covid-19 environment

The objective of this part of the study was to ascertain the opportunities available to

employees while working from home in a persistent covid-19 environment at Enterprise Life

Insurance Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC. The participating respondents were then asked to

rate each of these assertions.

Table 5.3: Opportunities available to employees while working from home in a persistent

covid-19 environment

Statement Mean Std.

Dev

I am able to cook and eat healthy food 2.450 0.961

No office distractions 3.621 0.244

I have flexible schedules to work with 3.961 0.688

I have the freedom to do other things 4.114 0.616

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 I am able to balance work with life easily 4.410 1.212

I spend less money at home 3.211 1.036

Research data (2022)

According to the findings, respondents felt that to a large extent; they feel like there are

no office distractions with a mean of 3.621 and a standard deviation of 0.244, they have flexible

schedules with which to work with a mean of 3.961 and a standard deviation of 0.688, they are

able to balance work with life easily with mean of 4.410 and standard deviation of 1.212 and that

they are able to cook and eat healthy food with mean of 2.450 and standard deviation of 0.961.

Commuting was not specified among the predetermined criteria for the matrix likert scale

questions in the study. The responses of the respondents brought it into this study as one of the

top benefits of WFH. More than half of the respondents believe that not commuting to work

saves them time. Some responders use the extra time to work, while others use it to sleep more,

which increases their productivity by making them feel better during work hours. They also

highlighted avoiding traffic, which they said was exhausting. One of the main opportunities

noted by the respondents is the ability to work from home and how it helps them focus on their

work. They specifically mentioned how much simpler it was for them to focus from home

without the distractions of the office setting, particularly for those who previously worked in an

open office setup. Work-life balance is another major issue for respondents during WFH during

the epidemic. They noted that the flexibility and independence they received from WFH was an

advantage because they could plan their work day anyway they wanted. They also had the

freedom to do other things during the day and could complete job responsibilities outside of

work hours, allowing them to achieve a better work-life balance.

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5.5 Objective 3: Productivity level of employees while working from home in a persistent

covid-19 environment

The purpose of this part of the study was to determine the productivity level of employees while

working from home in a persistent covid-19 environment at Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd. and

Ghana Reinsurance PLC. The participating respondents were then asked to rate each of these

assertions.

Table 5.4: Productivity Level

Statement Mean Std. Dev

I managed to plan my work so that it was done on time 3.61 0.244

I kept in mind the results that I had to achieve in my work 3.58 1.035

I was able to separate main issues from side issues at work 2.54 0.465

I started new tasks myself when my old ones were finished 3.85 0.274

I took on challenging work tasks, when available 3.74 1.305

I worked at keeping my job skills up to date 5.28 0.547

I came up with creative solutions to new problems 3.232 0.687

Research data (2022)

Working From Home (WFH) and productivity are related. According to a study by

Bakotic (2016) there was evidence of the existence of a clear link between employee’s job

productivity and WFH. Bakotic (2016) concluded that it could be stated that job productivity

strongly determines the effectiveness of WFH as opposed to the reverse. In the context of this

research, it can be said that since all of the participants responded positively to job productivity

49
in indicating that they are satisfied with their job as a result of WFH, then productivity is

unlikely to be negatively influenced by most of the participants. According to a case study by

Ahmed et. al. (2014) it was concluded that in general, there is a relationship between job

productivity and WFH. Although this study did not directly correlate job productivity directly

with WFH, it can be inferred that the high percentage of participants who indicated that they

were productive with their jobs was one of the positive contributors to the organization’s

development during the COVID pandemic.

5.6 Discussion of findings

The results of the survey show that WFH has an impact on IT project managers/project

coordinators' productivity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 8.7% of survey

respondents believe they are more productive at home, while 17.4% believe they are more

productive at work, according to their responses to survey questions. The majority (73.9 percent)

believe that working hybrid makes them more productive. Both the office and the home work

environment have advantages and disadvantages that differ from person to person. The

popularity of hybrid working among IT project managers and project coordinators can be

attributed to the unique potential it provides for each employee to maximize benefits while

reducing problems. The majority of respondents indicated satisfaction and discontent with their

work environments, both at work and at home. When people work hybrid, they can sidestep the

challenges of their current work environment by switching to one that is more suited to their

needs. Ford et al. (2020) also assert that it is time to "adapt and create new methods to operate in

this new hybrid environment the epidemic has left behind," particularly if the organization is

large and has previous remote work experience.

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 Depending on how respondents see them, some elements are classified as both perks and

problems. For example, performing housework affects 24.4 percent of respondents' productivity

positively, while conducting WFH affects 35.6 percent of respondents' productivity negatively.

Some respondents are pleased with being able to do house chores in their spare time between

meetings, rather than doing everything after work, late at night and on weekends, according to

responses given to open-ended questions, i.e., questions in which respondents answer with their

own words rather than choosing from options. Others, on the other hand, are dissatisfied with the

quantity of work they must complete when at home during the work hours. Some respondents

express dissatisfaction with the pressure they feel to cook for their children, which consumes too

much time. Some of the responders, on the other hand, do not have any children at home. These

respondents are unlikely to face any of the child-related challenges mentioned by other

respondents with children, such as caring for children while working or trying to focus due to

noise at home. Other studies, such as Ford et al.'s Tale of Two Cities: Software Developers

Working from Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic," look into the benefits and drawbacks of

WFH and list several elements as both a benefit and a burden (2020). Longer physical exercise,

greater work-life balance, fewer distractions and disruptions, more breaks, a better work

atmosphere, and more time to complete work are among the positives they highlighted (Ford et

al. ,2020). For the same survey, they mentioned the following issues: less physical activity, poor

work-life balance, more distractions and interruptions, fewer breaks, unpleasant work

atmosphere, and less time to complete work as some of their challenges (Ford et al. ,2020). As

previously stated, a variety of circumstances influence whether these aspects are perceived as

problems or rewards. WFH's influence on employees, according to Oliveira et al. (2020), "is far

51
from consensus among workers and is also directly tied to their job description, granted

autonomy and corporate culture, and personality."

Physical challenges, on the other hand, are not numerous, according to the respondents.

These difficulties are related to physical demands, such as the desire for sun and fresh air, as

well as the need to move more, which are not shared by all respondents, since they consider

exercising outside as a benefit of WFH. COVID-19 limitations and prohibitions in the

respondents' homes have a significant impact on what they see as benefits and problems.

According to the respondents' living and working situations, Ford et al. (2020) found comparable

opposing outcomes, such as "more physical exercise" as a benefit and "less physical activity" as

a difficulty.

Chapter summary

The researcher, has in this chapter, analyzed and discussed the various data and their

results that were obtained in accordance with the objectives of the study and alternative courses

of action. These data include the respondents’ biographic data, data relating to working from

home during the pandemic, as well as discussions of the findings of results.

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 CHAPTER SIX

IMPLEMENTATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 Introduction

This part of the study presents the analysis of the recommendations and implementation

of working from home (WFH) mechanisms while focusing on employee performance. This is

done in line with the results of this study as well as from other empirical studies.

6.2 WFH control

Remote labor limits the firm's control possibilities in comparison to those accessible at

work. There are many types of controls accessible at work, including statutory output limits and

more informal cultural controls like mutual monitoring and group pressure (Merchant and Van

der Stede, 2017). The sheer presence of a coworker in the same room, for example, has been

shown to alter individuals' behavior in laboratories and in the field (Sausgruber, 2009). In

addition, Brüggen and Moers (2007) demonstrate that social norms might offset distorted

financial incentives in effort allocation decisions. As a result, previous research has

demonstrated that informal output controls can often supplement formal output controls and

reduce some of their flaws. While these informal constraints exist at work, they are more

difficult to impose or less noticeable in a WFH situation.

Based on these arguments, I contend that in activities where the incentives can readily be

aligned via output controls, the location has no effect on individual behavior because the

financial incentives will push them to work for the benefit of the company. Working from home

might attenuate some negative outcomes and reduce opportunistic behavior in tasks where the

53
employee's and the organization's interests cannot readily be aligned with output control,

compared to WFH where such informal controls are not accessible. The availability of such

high-quality and consistent performance indicators is frequently determined by the tasks

themselves. For example, by monitoring the contribution margin or productivity of individual

salespeople, programmers, or translators, their performance may be easily monitored and linked

with the organization's goals. However, there are numerous situations where such high-quality

performance measurements are unavailable, such as reporting duties where local personnel have

superior knowledge or managerial strategic decisions. It is more difficult to identify appropriate

performance measurements in these situations. As a result, unless the Nungua branch of Ghana

Water Company Limited (GWCL) implements other forms of oversight, they fear staff

exploiting their information advantage and acting opportunistically.

6.3 Employee selection determination

One of the most important features of WFH is that it allows workers to work from home

or from a distant location, giving them more flexibility in terms of where and when they work.

As a result, companies have fewer options for regularly monitoring their workers' performance.

This raises concerns about the extent to which employees participate in tasks and under what

conditions they do so. Employees will use typical economic reasoning to compare the expected

benefits of executing a job with the predicted expenses of performing the activities. Employees

will only take part in a task if they find the comparison useful. According to previous studies,

employees, for instance, choose employment contracts that achieve maximum their own

personal benefits based on their ability level, risk preferences, and personality factors

(Fehrenbacher et. al., 2017).

54
 According to Kahya (2007), the selection effect drove the favorable effect of establishing

a performance-based compensation plan on employee productivity. As a result, lower-skilled

workers fled, leaving only high-skilled workers who saw an opportunity to earn more than the

company's costs to stay. Individuals engage in an activity only if their skill level permits a

positive assessment of the earning potential, according to (Fehrenbacher et al., 2017). The

"giving-up phenomena" is a phenomenon that occurs when someone fail to complete a task.

Such selection effects can have considerable ramifications when it comes to WFH,

especially because employees have the choice of whether and how often they wish to work from

home. When there is an outside (shirk) choice, people prefer to work less on their core task

(Dutcher, 2012). On the other hand, the opportunity costs of performing a work-related task at

home are typically significantly higher than at work (Dutcher, 2012). For example, diversions

and alternatives available at home usually provide larger benefits than distractions and

alternatives available at work. Similarly, staying at work for an extra appointment is frequently

less expensive than setting up technical equipment for a conference call from home. As a result,

in order for a person working from home to beat the costs, the expected benefits of a person

performing the same task at work must be greater.

6.4 Recommendations from respondents

The most concerning support for the organizations was recommended by respondents.

Support with equipment, notably home office furniture and equipment, is the most commonly

written recommendation. Support for Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance

PLC's well-being, notably through online wellness programs and support groups, is the second

most often written recommendation. Other suggestions in this category include demonstrating

55
significant worry for well-being and providing well-being vouchers. Some respondents

suggested providing financial assistance to organizations, such as paying for home rent and bills,

additional childcare expenses, and raising salaries (by sharing the money saved by companies

not paying for lunch tickets, fuel, or office bills because no one is using their internet or

electricity). Some of the employees suggested that better guidance be provided during the

pandemic, such as clear guidelines and expectations for WFH. The final advice in this area is

about the chances that organizations can provide, such as opportunities for engagement with

coworkers to share ideas and a supportive team environment.

Respondents also suggested that Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance

PLC communicate more effectively with each other. They advised having regular check-ins,

embracing the benefits of togetherness, collaboration, and teamwork, and encouraging both

daily/weekly online meetings and one-on-one meetings, as well as improving their online

communication style.

Chapter summary

This cost-benefit tradeoff is more likely beneficial for those who are strongly driven to

accomplish a task and/or are of high skill when determining whether to engage in a task from

home. Employees with high skill/motivation have lower effort costs and a bigger potential

reward than employees with low skill/motivation. As a result, highly skilled/motivated

individuals will be less affected by their office location and will be more likely to engage in a

task whether they are at work or WFH. This chapter has therefore successfully explored the

considerations for implementation of WFH in line with empirical literature as well as

recommendations from the study respondents.

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 CHAPTER SEVEN

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Introduction

This chapter presents the summary of the study and the conclusion of the study.

Summary of the Study

The study looked at the challenges and opportunities of remotely working from home during

Covid-19 pandemic. The study employed the socio-technical system theory and the adaptive

Structural theory for the study. Specifically, the study sought to achieve the following objectives;

to identify and analyze the challenges faced by employees while working from home in a

persistent covid-19 environment; to examine whether there are any opportunities available to

employees while working from home in a persistent covid-19 environment and finally to

determine the productivity level of employees while working from home in a persistent covid-19

environment... The study used Enterprise Life Insurance Ltd. and Ghana Reinsurance PLC as

the companies for the study.

With a sample size of 100 staff from the two companies, seventy-six (76), representing (76%) of

the respondents were males; while 24 respondents, representing 24% were females. The data also

revealed that 45 respondents (45%) were between the ages of 20 and 30 years. Thirty-two

respondents (32%), were between the ages of 31 and 40 years. Whereas respondents, between

the ages of 41and 50 were 20 respondents (20%); while three (3%) were between the ages of 51

and 60 years. Data was collected from respondents using a research questionnaire and the data

collected was analyzed using an SPSS software.

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Conclusions

According to the findings of the study, respondents claimed that they there are no office

distractions when they are working from home. Another conclusion that can be drawn from this

study is the flexible schedules with which employees work with when they are home. Majority of

the employees claim they have flexible schedules to work with when they are home compared to

when they are working at the office. From the results of the study, more than half of the

respondents believe that not commuting to work saves them time. Some responders use the extra

time to work, while others use it to sleep more, which increases their productivity by making

them feel better during work hours. They also highlighted avoiding traffic, which they said was

exhausting. One of the main opportunities noted by the respondents is the ability to work from

home and how it helps them focus on their work. They specifically mentioned how much simpler

it was for them to focus from home without the distractions of the office setting, particularly for

those who previously worked in an open office setup. Work-life balance is another major issue

for respondents during WFH during the epidemic. Finally, according to the results of the study,

random connections, collaborations, brainstorming, and team-building possibilities were all not

enjoyed at home during the covid era, according to respondents. It can therefore be concluded

that, employees missed their office atmosphere and found it difficult to concentrate at home

because of the distracting work environment.

58