We are Not Forced to Work Late However We Work Extra Hours Without Realising It

Abstract

Flexible working initiatives, especially work from home is a practice that is not new in many workplaces in western countries. For example, in Europe, institutional supports encourage flexible working, however while adoption varies across countries and organisations, research evidence on its implementation in much of Africa remains scanty. This study therefore aims at understanding Nigerian bank employees’ experiences and transition process from full-time physical working in the office to working from home. Work in Nigeria is full-time, majorly 8 am resumption time and 4 pm or 5 pm closing times, depending on the organisation. Flexible forms of employment are not prevalent. The reason for its low adoption had been attributed to remote working being a western practice or its inappropriateness due to a lack of discipline amongst employees. The COVID-19 pandemic created a novel urgency, on the need to embrace working from home, especially with the pressure from government to encourage social distancing among people, to curb the spread of the virus. It also changed the perception of the government, the employer and the employed about the world of work and ways of working. This study explores Nigerian bank employees’ transition from office work to remote work through 10 semi-structured Zoom interviews analysed with NVivo, revealing both positive and negative experiences: while remote work improved performance, reduced stress, enhanced flexibility, and eliminated commuting challenges, long working hours remain a persistent feature of bank jobs.