Managing remote employees during the coronavirus pandemic : a global review of management practices and policies.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the global business landscape, forcing organizations to rapidly adapt their management practices and policies. This dissertation investigates the transformative impact of the pandemic on organizations, focusing on the shift towards remote work, the emphasis on employee wellbeing, and the emergence of adaptable leadership styles. This systematic review aims to explore how management practices and organizational policies evolved to manage remote employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing approaches before and after the pandemic. It also examines adaptations of organizational policies to effectively manage virtual employees during the pandemic. This qualitative study draws upon secondary data, including academic literature, industry reports, and expert analyses published between 2020 and 2023, to provide a comprehensive overview of the pandemic's impact on management practices across global organizational contexts. The findings reveal a significant shift towards more flexible, employee-centric, and technology-driven approaches to management. Organizations that successfully adapted demonstrated agility and a deep commitment to supporting their employees through unprecedented disruption. The shift to remote work necessitated a re-evaluation of traditional management practices, leading to the adoption of new communication protocols, collaboration tools, and performance management systems. Furthermore, the pandemic highlighted the importance of employee well-being, prompting organizations to invest in mental health resources, flexible work arrangements, and enhanced communication strategies. Due to its reliance on secondary data, this study may not fully capture the nuanced experiences of individual organizations. The study's findings underscore the need for organizations to cultivate adaptability, invest in employee wellbeing, enhance virtual collaboration, empower remote managers, and consider hybrid work models. These findings have important implications for organizational leadership, human resource policies, and digital transformation strategies. They suggest that sustainable post-pandemic management requires not only investment in remote work infrastructure, but also a shift in leadership culture to support employee wellbeing and resilience.