The sudden and large-scale shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way organisations in India operate, while reshaping employee experiences of work and personal life. This paper presents a systematic literature review examining the impact of remote work on employee work-life balance, productivity, and well-being, drawing on scholarly studies published. Adopting the PRISMA framework, the review synthesises findings from peer-reviewed journal articles, industry reports, and government publications that analyse the Indian context and comparable economies.
The review identifies a nuanced relationship between remote work and employee outcomes. Positive effects include improved time flexibility, reduced commuting stress, and opportunities for greater family engagement, which have contributed to enhanced work-life balance and, in many cases, higher productivity. However, these gains are tempered by challenges such as blurred boundaries between work and personal life, increased technostress, social isolation, and uneven access to digital infrastructure, particularly in non-metropolitan regions. Employee well-being emerges as a complex outcome shaped by organisational policies, managerial support, individual coping strategies, and home-work environment factors.
By integrating insights from diverse studies, this paper offers evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, organisational leaders, and human resource practitioners to design sustainable remote work practices. The findings also highlight areas for future research, especially the need for longitudinal studies and sector-specific analyses within the Indian economy.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Trends
Research Journals