A cross-sector international study of remote work and its management in the pandemic

With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing organizations to work remotely, this paper presents a wide-ranging study of factors affecting the transition from physical to online operations, and the management and conduct of business online. A literature review summarizes years of research on remote work, while an international survey done in August 2020 collects input from managers in 158 organizations dealing with pandemic-related lockdowns. Topics include impacts on productivity, employee morale, and management workload. Sampled organizations range from manufacturing and retail firms to schools and universities. Cross-sector analysis allows inquiry into why, for instance, productivity and morale may decline in some places but improve in others