A rapid shift to remote work during Covid-19 The role of leader and the factors affecting the superior-subordinate relationship in remote work
Häggblom, Senja (2020-11-11)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2020111189974
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2020111189974
Tiivistelmä
The Covid-19 breakout worldwide did not only largely impact on the economy and society, but
also on numerous employees’ working patterns. Several governments around the world imposed
strict restrictions, including commandment to stay at home and adhere to necessary quarantines. One major shift for numerous companies was a rapid shift to 100% remote work in
order to keep employees safe. The purpose of this paper is to explore how a rapid shift to remote work during Covid-19 has affected the relationship between superior and subordinate. This thesis investigates whether the identified factors, namely employee motivation, communication, career development and job performance have either positive, negative or neutral affected the superior-subordinate relationship in remote work. Qualitative research method with an exploratory research strategy was chosen for this study. The empirical data was collected by conducting 17 semi-structured interviews, from which ten are superiors and seven are subordinates from various positions, industries and countries.
The empirical findings of the study reveal that from the major part a rapid shift to remote work
did not remarkably impact the relationship between superiors and subordinates. However, a
few interviewees noticed a positive impact on the superior-subordinate relationship, because
superiors have to be more aware of subordinates’ personal life in order to better adjust to their
subordinates’ new working environment situation. Similarly, interviewed subordinates consider
that in remote work, they have better learnt to know their superiors’ personalities than in office
work. When it comes to identified factors, empirical findings reveal that only communication
has positively impacted the relationship between superiors and subordinates, whereas the impact of other factors, employee motivation, career development and job performance remained neutral on the superior-subordinate relationship. The majority of the interviewees consider that the amount of communication between superior and subordinates has increased in remote work and it is more organized than in office work. Subordinates are satisfied that communications occur more frequently, and also non work-related matters are more discussed that has positively impacted on the relationship between superiors and subordinates. The explanation why the impact of other factors remained neutral on the superior-subordinate relationship is that the majority of the interviewed subordinates and superiors have previous experience of working remotely and they work at specialist level positions. Additionally, for the majority of subordinates the work is relatively independent or includes a lot of projects, when the support from superior is not necessarily needed in everyday work tasks.
also on numerous employees’ working patterns. Several governments around the world imposed
strict restrictions, including commandment to stay at home and adhere to necessary quarantines. One major shift for numerous companies was a rapid shift to 100% remote work in
order to keep employees safe. The purpose of this paper is to explore how a rapid shift to remote work during Covid-19 has affected the relationship between superior and subordinate. This thesis investigates whether the identified factors, namely employee motivation, communication, career development and job performance have either positive, negative or neutral affected the superior-subordinate relationship in remote work. Qualitative research method with an exploratory research strategy was chosen for this study. The empirical data was collected by conducting 17 semi-structured interviews, from which ten are superiors and seven are subordinates from various positions, industries and countries.
The empirical findings of the study reveal that from the major part a rapid shift to remote work
did not remarkably impact the relationship between superiors and subordinates. However, a
few interviewees noticed a positive impact on the superior-subordinate relationship, because
superiors have to be more aware of subordinates’ personal life in order to better adjust to their
subordinates’ new working environment situation. Similarly, interviewed subordinates consider
that in remote work, they have better learnt to know their superiors’ personalities than in office
work. When it comes to identified factors, empirical findings reveal that only communication
has positively impacted the relationship between superiors and subordinates, whereas the impact of other factors, employee motivation, career development and job performance remained neutral on the superior-subordinate relationship. The majority of the interviewees consider that the amount of communication between superior and subordinates has increased in remote work and it is more organized than in office work. Subordinates are satisfied that communications occur more frequently, and also non work-related matters are more discussed that has positively impacted on the relationship between superiors and subordinates. The explanation why the impact of other factors remained neutral on the superior-subordinate relationship is that the majority of the interviewed subordinates and superiors have previous experience of working remotely and they work at specialist level positions. Additionally, for the majority of subordinates the work is relatively independent or includes a lot of projects, when the support from superior is not necessarily needed in everyday work tasks.