Factors that affect team productivity and collaboration in a remote working environment

Abstract: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the working remote setup has become the norm for many employees worldwide, who have been struggling to adjust in the new ways of working and collaborating with their colleagues remotely. The recent remote setup swift has impacted their productivity and collaboration either positively or negatively. Through this thesis, we try to identify the main factors that have impacted these two values, according to previous research, and identify new ones. In terms of methodology, an online survey has been conducted in order not only to rate the significance of each factor that was reported in previous research during the pandemic years but also to understand in which way they have affected these two values. Any additional factor that had not been identified through the literature review but was reported on our survey, was collected and documented. The results of the survey have been outlined and analyzed, taking the infographics into consideration and afterward, by using the average of the Net Promoter Score values as well as by using Regression Analysis models. From the statistical methodology used, the most significant factors were identified, such as the dedicated workspace, employee empowerment, social bonding with other colleagues, etc. Besides, the majority of the factors documented through the literature review seem to be consistent with the findings of the survey. Given certain limitations of the master thesis, due to both time constraints and certain samples (177 respondents), we encourage the additional factors documented through the survey, to be further investigated as part of future research. Moreover, the personality traits could be taken into consideration as well as examine the role of leadership and how it could affect both productivity and collaboration. Finally, another aspect that could be considered as part of future research is diversity and how this impacts productivity and collaboration, as well as other political or social factors.