Developing a Framework for Electronic Engagement at Work: A Phenomenological Study

Several electronic-engagement-related questions arise at work due to the beginning of a new era of social distancing, lockdowns, quarantining, and sanitization. These terms were not so common before. What challenges do employees face while working from home? Why do they face those challenges? How are they overcoming these challenges? In summary, in a work-from-home setting, what are the issues and solutions in engaging remote workers electronically? To answer these questions, 23 Information Technology (IT) employees in India and four in the United Kingdom were interviewed, and data were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Few Information Technology employees from the United Kingdom were also interviewed to ensure the transferability of the results. Along with a few suggestions, six challenges emerged. These may help employers formulate their electronic engagement strategies for employees in a better manner.