A Study of the Impact that Enforced Remote Working has on the Mental and Physical Well-Being of Employees as a Result of Covid-19 Lockdown: A Case Study of Sales Employees within the IT Sector in Ireland.

Abstract

In this dissertation I studied the impact which enforced remote working as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown had on the physical and mental well-being of employees, specifically focusing on individuals employed as IT sales executives in the Republic of Ireland. It was shown that after a few initial adjustments, physical well-being mostly improved and positive mental well-being was displayed towards remote working. The research strategy and methodology for this study followed a qualitative mono-method approach which gathered empirical data through the use of semi-structured, one-on-one interviews. The qualitative data gathered via the interview process was then analysed and coded using a form of template analysis to identify key themes pertinent to the study. The participants felt that their physical well-being had improved as a result of devising new ways to manage physical health and using time typically spent commuting for physical activities. Increased flexibility and reduced commute times resulted in a positive mental outlook and reduced stress in many cases. Adverse impacts were found on well-being due to lack of human interaction and on hand support. Differentiating factors between participants included age, living status and dependents. This paper does not attempt to draw theory from the data, but provide insights into the diverse factors affecting enforced remote workers well-being.