Employee Productivity as A Moderating Variable of The Effect of Remote Working on Work-Life Balance

Abstrak

The post-pandemic work paradigm shift has positioned remote working as a permanent work modality across various industrial sectors, bringing significant consequences to the dynamics of employee work-life balance. This study aims to analyze the impact of remote working on work-life balance, while also examining the role of employee productivity as a moderating variable that strengthens or weakens this relationship. Using a quantitative explanatory approach, data were collected through a structured questionnaire from knowledge workers. A theoretical framework was built by integrating Boundary Theory, Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, and Role Conflict Theory. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares -based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the moderating effect (moderated regression analysis). The results are expected to confirm that remote working has a significant positive effect on work-life balance, but the strength of this relationship is highly dependent on individual productivity levels. Employees with high productivity are able to optimize the flexibility of remote working to achieve a better work-life balance without experiencing role bleed. Conversely, low productivity levels weaken the positive impact of remote working and even trigger burnout due to inefficient work time management. These findings provide theoretical contributions to the organizational behavior literature and practical implications for human resource management in designing adaptive remote work policies.

Keywords: Remote Working, Work-Life Balance, Employee Productivity, Moderating Role, Boundary Theory.