Analysis on productivity of Sri Lankan IT professionals with remote working conditions in post COVID environment

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a sea change in work cultures around the world, with organizations swiftly moving to models of remote work. The given study discusses how working from home has influenced the productivity of Sri Lankan IT professionals in the post-pandemic period, focusing on both the benefits and drawbacks of this new paradigm of working. It had been done by using a mixed- methods approach, combining the in-depth insights from interviews of employees and employers with quantitative data obtained from structured questionnaires to provide a comprehensive analysis. Findings indicate that while remote work greatly improved individual task-based productivity due to fewer distractions and flexible scheduling, it presented certain challenges related to collaborative productivity, work-life balance, and long-term motivation. Many employees reported being more productive and less stressed from commuting, but these benefits were often offset by the blurred boundaries between work and personal life, overwork, and fatigue. Technological readiness proved another major factor: urban employees were better connected than rural employees, who often had serious infrastructure challenges. Employers also faced challenges when it came to managing strong digital security and making sure all staff had equitable access to tools. The article states that while Zoom and Slack allowed limited communication to continue, they could not recreate (the spontaneity and cohesion created through) in- person communication. Over time, remote work brought about isolation, team engagement and digital fatigue. However, we identified hybrid work as the sustainable way forward for the Sri Lankan IT sector, allowing a mix of remote working autonomy and collaboration opportunities provided by in-office environments that best suited the cultural and infrastructural makeup of the country while seeking to balance productivity, flexibility and cohesion. So, it suggested that there is scope for developed hybrid work policies, better digital infrastructure-particularly in rural areas, and measures towards work-life balance like flexible hours and mental fitness. The organization should be adopting newer virtual tools, investing in team-building activities and setting honest metric targets to assist in building relationship and accountability. iii The insights provided in this study are valuable, as they reflect the evolving workplace dynamics in the Sri Lankan IT sector and give strategic guidance on how organizations can achieve optimum productivity, employee satisfaction, and organizational efficiency in the post-pandemic world