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Remote-Workers and Their Furry Co-Workers: A Multimethod Exploration of New Avenues for Work-Related Exhaustion and Job Satisfaction

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  • Salomé Elizabeth Scholtz

    (WorkWell Research Unit, School of Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic fast-tracked the remote-working trend and placed many employees in a unique situation: conducting work in the presence of household pets. Despite research on pet-friendly workplaces, little work is available on the impact pets may have on remote-working owners. A simultaneous multimethod study was conducted to explore the impact of pets on remote-working employees’ work-related exhaustion and job satisfaction. The current study reports on the qualitative findings of the multimethod study. Using purposive sampling data were collected from remote-working pet owners (n = 77) through an online survey. Qualitative content analysis shows that pets served as a social resource to remote workers and influenced participants’ willingness to continue remote working. Some remote workers also saw their pets as a demand. This study provides preliminary insight into pets’ role in job satisfaction and work-related exhaustion through social support.

Suggested Citation

  • Salomé Elizabeth Scholtz, 2022. "Remote-Workers and Their Furry Co-Workers: A Multimethod Exploration of New Avenues for Work-Related Exhaustion and Job Satisfaction," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:11:p:501-:d:958939
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nicholas Bloom & James Liang & John Roberts & Zhichun Jenny Ying, 2015. "Does Working from Home Work? Evidence from a Chinese Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 130(1), pages 165-218.
    2. Beck, Matthew J. & Hensher, David A., 2022. "Working from home in Australia in 2020: Positives, negatives and the potential for future benefits to transport and society," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 271-284.
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