Gender differentials in employees’ perceived productivity when working from home

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to investigate how working from home affects employees’ perceived productivity with respect to gender differentials. A quantitative analysis of 74 responses from office workers in Eimskip was performed. The participants received an online questionnaire that examined their perceived productivity while working from home (WFH) compared to working on-site. The questionnaire also included scales to measure four predictors of productivity (the work environment at home, emotional well-being, the organization of work and time, teamwork, and collaboration). The questionnaire was based on the Telework Project when the company allowed their office workers to choose to WFH up to two days a week. The Telework Project was conducted in 2021 from September 1st to November 30th when the COVID-related restrictions had lifted. These conditions are of particular interest for the study as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are minimized. The findings suggested that approximately half of participants experience improvements in perceived productivity when WFH while the remaining half do not experience such improvements. Contrary to previous research, this study found that females report greater improvements in perceived productivity when WFH compared to males. Additionally, females experience greater satisfaction with the work environment at home, emotional well-being, and teamwork and collaboration when WFH compared to males. The study did not find support for the work environment at home, emotional well-being, and organization of work and time to significantly predict changes in perceived productivity. For both men and women, teamwork and collaboration seem to be the key factor in determining whether employees experience improvements in productivity when WFH. The findings of the study can provide valuable insights into how to organize and manage remote work in the future.