Remote work and the COVID-19 pandemic: An artificial intelligence-based topic modeling and a future agenda

Majid Aleem; Muhammad Sufyan; Irfan Ameer; Mekhail Mustak

doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113303

Remote work and the COVID-19 pandemic: An artificial intelligence-based topic modeling and a future agenda

J Bus Res. 2023 Jan:154:113303. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113303. Epub 2022 Sep 21.

Authors

Majid Aleem¹, Muhammad Sufyan¹, Irfan Ameer², Mekhail Mustak³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Marketing and International Business, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, 20500 Turku, Finland.
² Christ Church Business School, Canterbury Christ Church University, N Holmes Rd, Canterbury CT1 1QU, UK.
³ Department of Marketing and Sales Management, IESEG School of Management, Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 9221 - LEM - Lille Economie Management, Lille, France.

Abstract

As remote work has become more common than ever throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it has drawn special attention from scholars. However, the outcome has been significantly sporadic and fragmented. In our systematic review, we use artificial intelligence-based machine learning tools to examine the relevant extant literature in terms of its dominant topics, diversity, and dynamics. Our results identify-eight research themes: (1) Effect on employees at a personal level, (2) Effect on employees' careers, (3) Family life and gender roles, (4) Health, well-being, and safety, (5) Labor market dynamics, (6) Economic implications, (7) Remote work management, (8) Organizational remote work strategies. With further content analysis, we structure the sporadic research into three overarching categories. Finally, for each category, we offer a detailed agenda for further research.

Keywords: Employee; Human resource management; Literature review; Organization; Remote work; Work from home.