Telecommuting and job performance during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of psychological detachment from work

Abstract

This study examined the mediating role of psychological detachment from work and the moderating influence of perceived organisational telework task support in the relationship between the extent of telecommuting and the job performance of employees. Using a time-lag study design, we collected data from a sample of 435 employees from several companies in China during the COVID-19 pandemic (female = 67.8%; 31–40 years old = 51.7%; mean telecommuting hours = 8.29 hours per week; SD = 11.86). Following the mediating analyses, our results showed psychological detachment from work significantly mediated this relationship between the extent of telecommuting and the job performance of employees, so that employee job performance was lower. Furthermore, perceived organisational telework task support did not moderate the relationship between the extent of telecommuting and job performance. These findings suggest a need for work managers to provide telecommute support as part of work organisation COVID-19 mitigation.