Job satisfaction of forced remote workers during the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to their working environment

Remote work has been of interest to researchers for many decades. However, most studies were conducted solely on voluntarily remote working. The main aim of this research is to investigate which aspects of the working environment have an effect on job satisfaction of workers forced to work remotely. This study proposes multiple factors which could influence employees’ job satisfaction. A quantitative approach in the form of an online, 42 item questionnaire has been chosen to achieve the objectives of this study. 630 respondents across 25 countries participated in the survey. Respondents had to have been forced to work from home during the Covid-19 pandemic and have a minimum age of 18. They were asked basic questions about their living arrangements, home office setup and time and cost management. Overall, employees are less satisfied with their jobs after undertaking remote work during the pandemic, with families being less affected than single households. Furthermore, setting up a barrier in the workspace to promote a healthy work-life balance is necessary and has a positive effect on job satisfaction. Similar to regular remote working, saving time and reducing costs is advantageous for their situation. The findings also show that there is a strong correlation between job and life satisfaction. Since the pandemic not only altered their job situation but also dramatically changed their life, it is important to note that personal aspects have to be taken into consideration for future research when trying to measure the job satisfaction levels of employees