To Work or Not to Work Remotely? Work-To-Family Interface Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND: This paper provides a brief, evidence-based reflection on two experiences with remote working, “old-normal” remote working and mandatory work-from-home during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the perspective of applied psychology in work and organizations, we used self-report instruments to assess variations in work-family conflict and enrichment, frequency of information and communication technologies (ICT) use, and recovery in two longitudinal studies. METHODS: The first study involved 148 individuals from the technical-administrative staff of a large Italian University during an experimentation of remote working (one day per week) in 2019. The second study, conducted during the first lockdown in 2020, involved 144 individuals (convenience sample, heterogeneous by profession). All participants completed a self-report online questionnaire two times six months apart. RESULTS: The two studies are not directly comparable, but they provide a dynamic idea of the effects of the two types of work arrangements. In Study 1, an experimental remote working condition (one day per week), participants reported decreased work-family conflict and improved recovery experiences. Study 2 noted a slight deterioration in work-family enrichment in the emergency remote working condition. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed the usefulness of monitoring specific indicators related to the work-life interface using validated instruments and in a longitudinal perspective to assess each experience. We briefly discuss these aspects to inform future organizational decisions and actions for the “new normal”.