The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting in the Lebanese Sector in the midst of the Corona Virus

Abstract

Telecommuting – which is different from working from home - is a term that defines the act of working from a remote location that replaces telecommuting to the workplace. (Golden et al., 2015) With the ongoing events of developmental advancements, change in the working environment, and most prominently of the outbreak of the Corona Virus, telework has become a familiar and inevitable reality around the whole world. (Mokhtarian, 2004) This study aims to study the reality of telework in Lebanon during the Corona Virus, look deeply within the attitudes of workers and employers, and empirical evidence and results to provide a detailed report of the cons and pros of telework in the Lebanese sector in the middle of the health and economy turmoil going on in Lebanon. This study employed the data from literature review, qualitative analysis, and online interviews with 30 employees, 10 of which were selected from a home automation company in Lebanon called “Somfy" from different departments and specialties to reflect wide and rich perspectives. The rest of the data was gathered from 20 other employees who worked at different companies and organizations who had diverse backgrounds, positions, cultures, and managerial levels in an effort to gather varied responses that can generate credible findings and valid conclusions. The interviews were based on real testimonies and comparisons of managers and employees who shifted from regular working at the offices to working remotely. This investigation provides an overview of the reality of the telework in Lebanon along with its merits, drawbacks, challenges, and opportunities. It also provides general speculations of the future of telework in Lebanon, along with future recommendations of the optimal ways to effective management of teleworking systems.