Significance of Personal and Job Attributes for Managing Employee Wellbeing in the New Work from Home India

Abstract

Indian employers rapidly adopted work from home (WFH) due to COVID. Now some contemplate long-term, also permanent WFH for select employee segments even post-pandemic, for productivity benefits. But employee wellbeing is critical for productivity. Therefore, this article examines effects of personal and job-related factors on wellbeing for 301 Indian employees placed under WFH during COVID lockdown of early-2020 and longer. Hierarchical linear regression demonstrated that demographically, the presence of elders at home and employment in manufacturing were negatively associated with wellbeing. Among personal attributes, the need for structure (routines) was negatively associated with wellbeing. But the need for autonomy (volition) and job crafting to increase structural job resources (proactively obtaining more responsibility and knowledge) were positively associated with wellbeing. Wellbeing was also positively associated with job-related factors of technology and supervisor support. These findings could inform customization of, and interventions under, organisations’ WFH approaches.