COVID-19-Induced Remote Work Becomes Routine: "More Efficient" vs "Actually Less Productive"

"More Time Flexibility Improves Work Efficiency"
Cases of Abuse Such as Leaving Work Hours
"Jobs Requiring Much Collaboration Have Limitations"

On the 3rd, as the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continued, commuters near Gwanghwamun in Seoul hurried on their way to work wearing masks. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy reporters Changhwan Lee and Dongwoo Lee] Park, an employee at a telecommunications company working from home due to concerns about the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), says that his work efficiency has improved while working at home. He used to waste two hours daily commuting back and forth, but now that he has more free time, he can focus more on his work. Park said, "I started working from home last week, and although I was initially worried about decreased efficiency, I have adapted and am very satisfied now. Since I am single and have no one around to disturb me, there seems to be no difference in work results compared to when I went to the office."

On the other hand, some office workers felt inconvenienced by working from home due to the nature of their jobs. Kim, who works at an electronics company, explained, "Because my work involves a lot of collaboration with other departments, there are limitations when working from home. Although I try to compensate with phone calls, the work process feels frustrating, so I hope the situation calms down soon and I can return to the office."

As COVID-19 spreads, the number of office workers working from home has increased significantly since last week. While some employees respond positively to working from home as the period extends, many express discomfort and wish to return to work quickly.

According to industry sources on the 5th, telecommuting has increased significantly since late last month, especially among large corporations, foreign companies, and information and communication technology (IT) companies. As COVID-19 spreads more than expected, companies are considering extending the telecommuting period for employees until next week. As telecommuting lengthens, evaluations among office workers vary greatly.

Lee, who works at an automobile company, is one of those who feel inconvenienced by telecommuting. He is in charge of external affairs and had lunch appointments fully booked for the next two months. Lee said, "I am struggling to cancel or postpone pre-scheduled work-related appointments. Some people do not welcome the cancellations, so it is a difficult situation."

Many office workers are also struggling to balance childcare and work as schools and academies have closed due to COVID-19, keeping children at home. Kim, who works at a petrochemical company, confessed, "Since I work from home, my children think I am not working and ask me to play with them. Having to take care of the children as well makes my workload feel heavier, and I often work late into the night after putting the kids to bed."

Yu, who works at a steel company, said, "It is nice to spend a lot of time with my child, but when I try to work, the child asks me to play and says they are working beside me, which distracts me. I am considering whether I should go to the office despite worrying about the company's perception because I cannot get any work done."

Kim, a representative of a major economic organization who started telecommuting, said, "I feel a burden from having to report more frequently and more often." He explained that he checks SNS messengers more than when going to the office and feels pressured in handling work.

There were also responses expressing appreciation for the company's consideration in protecting employees' health. An employee at a gaming company said, "Our company implemented telecommuting faster than others, which made my friends envious. It became an opportunity to increase loyalty to the company."

However, concerns have arisen as some cases abuse telecommuting, forgetting its original purpose. Although telecommuting was allowed to avoid face-to-face contact, some employees reportedly work at nearby coffee shops or even go out with family during working hours. Additionally, external computers are relatively vulnerable to security risks, raising concerns about information leaks.

An executive at a major domestic company said, "We are implementing telecommuting to prevent the virus and protect employees' health, but if abuse is detected, it can be grounds for disciplinary action. We are informing employees about telecommuting precautions."

Meanwhile, as COVID-19 spreads domestically in earnest, major companies are considering extending telecommuting and leave in line with the purpose of ‘social distancing.’

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.