The Association between the Impacts of Telecommuting Work Arrangement and Employee Performance during Covid- 19 Pandemic: A Case Study in Private Sector

Abstract

The relevance of today's work arrangement that is now being questioned due to the current pandemic situation had driven the researcher to examine the relationship between the impacts of telecommuting work arrangement and employee performance during the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to COVID-19 pandemic. The telecommuting work arrangement has played a significant role in Malaysia nowadays and it has become one of the mechanisms to ensure business continuity. The study has adopted cross-sectional survey research design to examine the relationship between variables. The data was collected via online survey from 152 respondents that Work From Home (WFH) during Movement Control Order (MCO) in Northern Malaysia. The findings had revealed that all of telecommuting impacts particularly job autonomy; work-family balance and level of occupational stress have a significant relationship with employees' performance. Thus, it was indicates that majority of the respondents prefer telecommuting and are aware with the flexibility, and other benefits offered by it. The findings of the study should assist the employers to enhance the level of acceptance of this unfamiliar working concept among Malaysian which eventually will lead to the achievement of excellent performance in organization. It also serves as useful information to the organization and the policymakers who considered implementing this new working concept.