IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/rbs/ijbrss/v12y2023i6p118-133.html

The Impact of Covid-19 on Employees' Work-Life Balance: A Case Study of Botswana Unified Revenue

Author

Listed:
  • Douglas Chiguvi

    (BA ISAGO University, Gaborone, Botswana)

  • Keneilwe Bakani

    (Botswana Unified Revenue Services, Gaborone, Botswana)

  • Segolame Kalayakgosi

    (BA ISAGO University, Gaborone, Botswana)

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the effects of remote work arrangements implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on the equilibrium between work and personal life among employees in Botswana. The case of the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) will be utilized as a specific context for analysis. The study utilized a descriptive qualitative research approach, including in-depth interviews with a sample of 18 employees from BURS who were engaged in remote work throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period. These interviews were done in order to collect relevant data for the study. An alternative sampling method, namely non-probability sampling, was employed to pick a sample size of 18 employees from the BURS organization. The collected data was subsequently subjected to thematic analysis for the purpose of analysis. The findings of the research indicate that employees reported numerous advantages, including increased sleep duration and enhanced concentration. They also highlighted the benefits of having flexibility and autonomy in a home environment, free from the distractions typically encountered in open-office settings. However, the study also identified certain challenges, such as disruptions caused by family members and feelings of isolation. The study suggests that further research should be conducted to examine the effects of remote work in Botswana. This research would provide valuable insights for policymakers in navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Key Words:Work From Home (WFH), COVID-19, Productivity, Work-life balance, Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS), Botswana.

Suggested Citation

  • Douglas Chiguvi & Keneilwe Bakani & Segolame Kalayakgosi, 2023. "The Impact of Covid-19 on Employees' Work-Life Balance: A Case Study of Botswana Unified Revenue," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 12(6), pages 118-133, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:rbs:ijbrss:v:12:y:2023:i:6:p:118-133
    DOI: 10.20525/ijrbs.v12i6.2503
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ssbfnet.com/ojs/index.php/ijrbs/article/view/2503/1943
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i6.2503
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i6.2503?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Agota Giedrė Raišienė & Violeta Rapuano & Kristina Varkulevičiūtė & Katarína Stachová, 2020. "Working from Home—Who Is Happy? A Survey of Lithuania’s Employees during the COVID-19 Quarantine Period," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-23, July.
    2. Maria Urbaniec & Agnieszka Małkowska & Hanna Włodarkiewicz-Klimek, 2022. "The Impact of Technological Developments on Remote Working: Insights from the Polish Managers’ Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Sarbu, Miruna, 2018. "The role of telecommuting for work-family conflict among German employees," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 37-51.
    4. Nicholas Bloom & James Liang & John Roberts & Zhichun Jenny Ying, 2015. "Does Working from Home Work? Evidence from a Chinese Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 130(1), pages 165-218.
    5. Alina-Mihaela Dima & Claudia-Elena Țuclea & Diana-Maria Vrânceanu & Gabriela Țigu, 2019. "Sustainable Social and Individual Implications of Telework: A New Insight into the Romanian Labor Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-12, June.
    6. Anna Kurowska, 2020. "Gendered Effects of Home-Based Work on Parents’ Capability to Balance Work with Non-work: Two Countries with Different Models of Division of Labour Compared," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 151(2), pages 405-425, September.
    7. Fan Wu & Su Zhao & Bin Yu & Yan-Mei Chen & Wen Wang & Zhi-Gang Song & Yi Hu & Zhao-Wu Tao & Jun-Hua Tian & Yuan-Yuan Pei & Ming-Li Yuan & Yu-Ling Zhang & Fa-Hui Dai & Yi Liu & Qi-Min Wang & Jiao-Jiao , 2020. "Author Correction: A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 580(7803), pages 7-7, April.
    8. Luca Bonacini & Giovanni Gallo & Sergio Scicchitano, 2021. "Working from home and income inequality: risks of a ‘new normal’ with COVID-19," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 34(1), pages 303-360, January.
    9. Dingel, Jonathan I. & Neiman, Brent, 2020. "How many jobs can be done at home?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    10. Kevin Carillo & Gaëlle Cachat-Rosset & Josianne Marsan & Tania Saba & Alain Klarsfeld, 2021. "Adjusting to epidemic-induced telework: empirical insights from teleworkers in France," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 69-88, January.
    11. Cooper-Thomas, Helena D. & Morrison, Rachel L., 2018. "Give and Take: Needed Updates to Social Exchange Theory," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(3), pages 493-498, September.
    12. Ron Torten & Carmen Reaiche & Ervin. L. Caraballo, 2016. "Teleworking in the new milleneum," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 50(5), pages 317-326, Special I.
    13. Greg Guest & Emily Namey & Mario Chen, 2020. "A simple method to assess and report thematic saturation in qualitative research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-17, May.
    14. Ivanov, Dmitry & Dolgui, Alexandre, 2021. "OR-methods for coping with the ripple effect in supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic: Managerial insights and research implications," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    15. Natália P. Monteiro & Odd Rune Straume & Marieta Valente, 2019. "Does Remote Work Improve or Impair Firm Labour Productivity? Longitudinal Evidence from Portugal," CESifo Working Paper Series 7991, CESifo.
    16. Monica Molino & Emanuela Ingusci & Fulvio Signore & Amelia Manuti & Maria Luisa Giancaspro & Vincenzo Russo & Margherita Zito & Claudio G. Cortese, 2020. "Wellbeing Costs of Technology Use during Covid-19 Remote Working: An Investigation Using the Italian Translation of the Technostress Creators Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.
    17. Kansiime, Monica K. & Tambo, Justice A. & Mugambi, Idah & Bundi, Mary & Kara, Augustine & Owuor, Charles, 2021. "COVID-19 implications on household income and food security in Kenya and Uganda: Findings from a rapid assessment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    18. Fan Wu & Su Zhao & Bin Yu & Yan-Mei Chen & Wen Wang & Zhi-Gang Song & Yi Hu & Zhao-Wu Tao & Jun-Hua Tian & Yuan-Yuan Pei & Ming-Li Yuan & Yu-Ling Zhang & Fa-Hui Dai & Yi Liu & Qi-Min Wang & Jiao-Jiao , 2020. "A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 579(7798), pages 265-269, March.
    19. Eva Thulin & Bertil Vilhelmson & Martina Johansson, 2019. "New Telework, Time Pressure, and Time Use Control in Everyday Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, May.
    20. Agnes Kinanu Mungania & Esther Wangithi Waiganjo & John M. Kihoro, 2016. "Influence of Flexible Work Arrangement on Organizational Performance in the Banking Industry in Kenya," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 6(7), pages 159-172, July.
    21. Kazekami, Sachiko, 2020. "Mechanisms to improve labor productivity by performing telework," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2).
    22. Natália P. Monteiro & Odd Rune Straume & Marieta Valente, 2019. "Does remote work improve or impair firm labour productivity? Longitudinal evidence from," NIPE Working Papers 14/2019, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    23. Jean-François Stich & Monideepa Tarafdar & Cary Cooper, 2018. "Electronic communication in the workplace: boon or bane?," Post-Print hal-01725240, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Douglas Chiguvi & Keneilwe Bakani & Thuso Sepepe, 2023. "Examining the effects of remote work arrangements implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall wellness of employees at Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS)," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 12(6), pages 367-379, September.
    2. Pouliakas, Konstantinos, 2020. "Working at Home in Greece: Unexplored Potential at Times of Social Distancing?," IZA Discussion Papers 13408, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. Battisti, Enrico & Alfiero, Simona & Leonidou, Erasmia, 2022. "Remote working and digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic: Economic–financial impacts and psychological drivers for employees," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 38-50.
    4. Burdett, Ashley & Etheridge, Ben & Tang, Li & Wang, Yikai, 2024. "Worker productivity during Covid-19 and adaptation to working from home," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    5. Constantin Aurelian Ionescu & Melinda Timea Fülöp & Dan Ioan Topor & Mircea Constantin Duică & Sorina Geanina Stanescu & Nicoleta Valentina Florea & Mariana Zamfir & Mihaela Denisa Coman, 2022. "Sustainability Analysis, Implications, and Effects of the Teleworking System in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    6. Okubo, Toshihiro, 2022. "Telework in the spread of COVID-19," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    7. Simone Donati & Gianluca Viola & Ferdinando Toscano & Salvatore Zappalà, 2021. "Not All Remote Workers Are Similar: Technology Acceptance, Remote Work Beliefs, and Wellbeing of Remote Workers during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-19, November.
    8. Pierre Boutros & Ali Fakih & Mariam Tarraf, 2023. "Adapting to the new normal: The impact of remote work on firm performance in Jordan and Morocco," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(8), pages 1722-1739, October.
    9. Richard Baldwin & Toshihiro Okubo, 2024. "Are software automation and teleworker substitutes? Preliminary evidence from Japan," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 1531-1556, April.
    10. Ourania Tzoraki & Svetlana Dimitrova & Marin Barzakov & Saad Yaseen & Vasilis Gavalas & Hani Harb & Abas Haidari & Brian P. Cahill & Alexandra Ćulibrk & Ekaterini Nikolarea & Eleni Andrianopulu & Miro, 2021. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-13, July.
    11. Hani Al-Dmour & Rima Al Hasan & Motasem Thneibat & Ra’ed Masa’deh & Wafa Alkhadra & Rand Al-Dmour & Ali Alalwan, 2023. "Integrated Model for the Factors Determining the Academic’s Remote Working Productivity and Engagement: Empirical Study," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, August.
    12. Toshihiro Okubo, 2024. "Work from Home and Time Allocation: Evidence from Time-use Data in Japan," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 598-630, December.
    13. Henning Holgersen & Zhiyang Jia & Simen Svenkerud, 2021. "Who and how many can work from home? Evidence from task descriptions," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 55(1), pages 1-13, December.
    14. Masayuki Morikawa, 2022. "Work‐from‐home productivity during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Evidence from Japan," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 60(2), pages 508-527, April.
    15. Toshihiro Okubo, 2024. "Non‐routine tasks and ICT tools in telework," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 38(2), pages 177-202, June.
    16. Fatih YEGUL & Atif ACIKGOZ & Zaur KAZIMOV, 2022. "Impact Of Working From Home On Productivity & Performance, Evidence From North American Logistics Industry During Covid-19 Pandemic," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 2(2), pages 289-303, December.
    17. Iuliia Pinkovetskaia & Diego Felipe Arbelaez Campillo & Magda Julissa Rojas Bahamon, 2022. "Households income in 2021: influence of Covid-19 pandemic," Revista Finanzas y Politica Economica, Universidad Católica de Colombia, vol. 14(2), pages 541-559.
    18. Lee, Kangoh, 2023. "Working from home as an economic and social change: A review," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    19. Andreja Mihailović & Julija Cerović Smolović & Ivan Radević & Neli Rašović & Nikola Martinović, 2021. "COVID-19 and Beyond: Employee Perceptions of the Efficiency of Teleworking and Its Cybersecurity Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-26, June.
    20. Hirte, Georg & Laes, Renée & Gerike, Regine, 2023. "Working from self-driving cars," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:rbs:ijbrss:v:12:y:2023:i:6:p:118-133. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Umit Hacioglu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ssbffea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.