Balancing The Scales: Harnessing Remote Work to Achieve Work-Life Balance Amid the Pandemic

Abstract Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic brought about a major change in the way people live. This encompasses both job and domestic dynamics. This study aims to investigate the direct influence of remote work on employees' work-life balance, as well as the indirect influence of personality traits (namely extraversion and neuroticism) during the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: 500 questionnaires were distributed among personnel at various higher education institutions situated in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Wah Cantt to collect the data. The data underwent statistical analysis utilizing the Structural Equation Modeling technique and the Smart PLS software tool. Findings: The results revealed a significant correlation between employees' work-life balance and their capacity to telecommute. The personality traits of extraversion and neuroticism have a notable indirect impact on the correlation between working from home and achieving work-life balance. The results indicated that implementing a work-from-home policy can assist employees in attaining an improved work-life balance, particularly when the management tailors job assignments to align with their individual personality attributes. Originality/value: The study also offers a roadmap for future researchers to improve the proposed framework by investigating several contextual and procedural deficiencies.