Modelling the Impact of Post-Pandemic Remote Work Challenges on Work-Life Balance: Evidence from Chennai's Selected IT Industries

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly transformed traditional workplace practices, leading to the widespread
adoption of remote work across the Information Technology (IT) sector. Although remote work has provided
employees with greater flexibility and reduced commuting time, it has also introduced several challenges that
affect their ability to maintain an effective work-life balance. The present study aims to examine the impact of
post-pandemic remote work challenges on work-life balance among IT employees working in selected IT
industries in Chennai city.
The study adopts a descriptive research design and utilizes both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data
were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to IT employees. A total of 200 questionnaires
were distributed, of which 189 valid responses were used for analysis after excluding non-returned and incomplete
questionnaires. Convenience sampling was employed to select the respondents. The study considered six major
dimensions of post-pandemic remote work challenges, namely Health Issues due to Work from Home, Use of
Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Work Scheduling and Working Hours, Communication and
Collaboration Challenges, Emotional and Psychological Strain, and Family Role Strain. Work-Life Balance was
considered as the dependent variable.
The collected data were analyzed using Percentage Analysis, Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Analysis, Exploratory

Factor Analysis (EFA), Correlation Analysis, and Multiple Regression Analysis. The findings revealed that post-
pandemic remote work challenges significantly influence work-life balance among IT employees. The regression

results indicated that Emotional and Psychological Strain emerged as the most influential predictor of work-life
balance, followed by Work Scheduling and Working Hours and Family Role Strain. The study further confirmed
that the selected remote work challenge factors collectively explain a substantial proportion of the variation in
employees' work-life balance.
The study concludes that organizations need to adopt comprehensive employee-centric policies focusing on
mental well-being, workload management, communication effectiveness, and family-supportive practices to
promote sustainable work-life balance in remote and hybrid work environments. The findings provide valuable
implications for human resource professionals, organizational leaders, and policymakers seeking to enhance
employee well-being and organizational effectiveness in the post-pandemic era.