The implications of telecommuting on work-life balance: Effects on work engagement and work exhaustion

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many workers to telecommute, and the public sector is no exception to it. Working from home has resulted in a work overload in personal places. This has eroded the line between personal and professional life, increasing the risk of conflict. The impact of remote working on the balance between life and work is unknown. This article reviews the existing research on work-life balance. It further examines the impact of remote work and telecommuting on work-life balance. The study found that work-life interaction and workplace factors influence employee engagement and exhaustion. Work-related expectations, such as emotional and time demands, must be addressed to decrease work-family conflict and create a good work-life balance. Human resource managers in the sector should develop work-life balance policies and practices. This review adds to the body of knowledge by establishing the importance of work-family conflict and work-life balance for remote employees. This review produced two scholarly contributions to work-life balance. Beginning with an overview of existing research topics and organized work-life balance concepts, second, it identified crucial study areas to understand distant work-life balance better. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed as well.