A Dividend or detriment? effect of WFH on work-life balance of software engineers. a structural equation modeling based empirical investigation carried out during covid-19

Abstract

Once the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, traditional workplaces were transformed into online workstations, forcing people to embrace the notion of Work From Home (WFH). This study focuses on the WFH ideas related to work-life balance as now formal work is done under the roof of the home, blurring the boundary between work and family. Thereby, the study unveils the impact of WFH on Sri Lankan software engineers' work-life balance. Further, considering the cultural background of Sri Lanka, the study examines the moderation effect of gender on the above relationship. Researchers collected 314 valid responses using a questionnaire circulated online for data gathering. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was utilized to analyze the data using SmartPLS 3.3.9 software. Once testing the hypothesis empirically, the study results showed that WFH significantly affects work-life balance, but gender does not serve as a moderator. The study suggests that software engineers should focus more on exercising the best WFH practices with self-motivation to lead an equilibrium in work and life. Organizational procedures also seem to be essential in this setting in providing employees with a smooth and supportive WFH environment. This investigation is fruitful and offers unique insights for workers who WFH to establish a balance between work and life and eventually have a content workforce despite the Covid-19-driven hardships in Sri Lanka.