Abstract

This study provides a unique insight into the impact of remote working practice on organisational performance within a Further Education (FE) college setting. Although there were instances of remote working prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not until lockdown restrictions were introduced in 2020 that that the potential of remote working in the longer-term were appreciated. Post COVID-19, it is important to understand the remote working practices that are effective in promoting employee productivity and well-being so that they can be retained and promoted. However, it is equally important to identify and understand any remote working practices that negatively impact on performance so that they may be discontinued or revised.

This research adopted a qualitative approach to explore the remote working experiences of employees from an FE college and to understand their views regarding the impact of their colleagues working remotely on performance. Semi-structured interviews were held to enable conversations to develop inductively to create a deeper understanding. Fifteen participants were purposively sampled to ensure representation from across the college. Thematic analysis was used to identify six key themes that formed the basis of the investigation into remote working. The themes included: is anyone actually working?, conflicting priorities – families in the workplace, communication, work completion, achieving a greater focus and support for students on site.

The findings from this study are illustrated in a conceptual framework that identifies the opportunities and challenges that working remotely presents for both the individual employee and the organisation as a whole. The key findings are that remote working promotes employee productivity and well-being due to increased flexibility, autonomy and concentration. However, this needs to be managed (according to role) to ensure that a presence on site is maintained to provide support to students. The promotion of employee productivity leads to organisational productivity.

Recommendations for future remote working practice are made and areas for future research are presented for consideration. This research makes a contribution to knowledge as the findings may be used to positively influence the productivity and performance of employees in the FE sector and they are potentially transferrable to other educational institutions or organisations outside the education sector. The practical implications are that employee preference influences the optimum work location for each employee and should be considered when job crafting, hybrid working provides a balance between employee and organisational needs, which is influences by the academic calendar in FE. The performance management practices need to be revised to acknowledge the flexibilities required to maximise the benefits of remote working or hybrid, so need to focus on work completion rather than Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).