As the COVID-19 pandemic swept India, it had a devastating effect on the nation's economy.

In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, a nationwide lockdown was implemented in late
March 2020, resulting in a significant decrease in economic activity. The lockdown brought
about widespread disruption to supply chains, businesses, and employment, ultimately
leading to a severe contraction of the economy.
Prior to the pandemic, India was already experiencing economic struggles, and the
lockdowns and other measures put in place to stop the virus's spread only exacerbated the
situation. India's GDP experienced a 7.7% decrease in 2020, the largest drop since quarterly
GDP statistics began in 1996. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has attributed the GDP
decrease to a 23.9% drop in private spending, as well as a 16.5% decrease in investment
activity and an 18.8% decrease in exports. The services sector, which accounts for more
than half of the country's GDP, suffered the most. Additionally, the unemployment rate in
India reached a new high of 23% in April 2020, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian
Economy (CMIE). This resulted in many small enterprises and informal employees losing
their livelihoods, particularly in the informal sector, which employs the bulk of the country's
workforce.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also brought about a significant shift in how businesses
operate, with many companies transitioning to remote work in order to comply with social
distancing measures. This sudden change has had a profound impact on employees,
particularly working parents who must balance their professional and personal
responsibilities.
This paper evaluates an account provided by an HR assistant working for a Real Estate
agency in the metropolitan city of Mumbai, India. The account describes the struggles faced
by three women working from home during the lockdown and returning to work post-
lockdown. These women represent different socio-economic groups and marital statuses,
which influence the struggles they face when returning to work. For the purpose of
anonymity, the three women will be referred to as Meera, Kayla, and Mansi, respectively.
Meera, a highly motivated marketing executive at her company, had been working diligently
for the past three years. She harboured aspirations of advancing her career and was
determined to achieve a promotion. Hailing from a lower-middle-class background, Meera
had always had to work hard to succeed. Her husband, Rohan, had established his own IT
start-up, and together they were raising their two young children, a five-year-old son and a
three-year-old daughter.
Meera's job was demanding and often required her to work long hours and bring work home.
Nevertheless, she was resolute in providing her family with the best life possible and
recognized that her job played a crucial role in that endeavour.
Just before the pandemic struck India, Meera received news of her promotion to a senior
marketing role. With the new promotion and the subsequent lockdown in place, Meera had
anticipated that working remotely would afford her the opportunity to spend more time with
her family and work at a more relaxed pace. However, as the weeks passed, she found that
the boundaries between work and home had become blurred, resulting in longer working
hours and increased stress.
Meera's spouse, Rohan, is the proprietor of an IT start-up that was similarly impacted by the
pandemic. The economic downturn brought about by lockdowns and restrictions resulted in
a scarcity of capital for Rohan's venture, putting him under significant financial pressure. His
company was forced to transition to a digital model, necessitating the development of new
skills and adaptation to changing market conditions. Like many entrepreneurs during this
period, he had to put in extra hours to attempt to keep his firm solvent, but the uncertainty
and stress took a toll on him both emotionally and psychologically.
Meera, as the primary breadwinner, was also placed under additional strain as she had to
care for her two children and husband, while trying to balance her professional and personal
responsibilities. The family's income was uncertain, which compelled them to economize
their expenses and rely heavily on Meera's wages.
Despite the obstacles, Meera was determined to continue working. She recognized that her
employment provided her family with more than just financial security; it also gave her a
sense of purpose and identity. Over time, Meera and Rohan adapted to working from home,
configuring respective home workplaces and devising a schedule that allowed them to
manage their job and family commitments.
Meera's employer, recognizing the challenges faced by their employees during the
pandemic, implemented flexible work arrangements to accommodate the shifting needs of
their workforce. This allowed Meera to adjust her work schedule in order to better manage
her responsibilities as a mother and a primary breadwinner. Similarly, Rohan's IT start-up
had to adapt to the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic, necessitating a shift
towards a digital model. This transition required Rohan to acquire new skills and to be agile
in response to the rapidly changing market conditions.
Concurrently, Kayla, a student intern at a real estate firm, was faced with a plethora of
challenges. Being both a student and an intern, she was already contending with a
formidable workload, and the added stress of the pandemic and lockdown only exacerbated
her difficulties.
One of her most significant challenges was the shift to online education. As a student of
Mumbai University, Kayla was accustomed to attending in-person classes and engaging with
her classmates and professors. However, with the imposition of lockdown, she was forced to
adapt to virtual learning, which proved to be a trying transition for her. She struggled with the
absence of face-to-face interaction and the feeling of isolation that accompanied online
classes.
Another challenge Kayla encountered was working remotely as part of a team. As a project
management intern, she was accustomed to collaborating closely with her colleagues,
exchanging ideas and receiving feedback on her work. However, with the lockdown in place,
she was required to work remotely, communicating with her team solely through video
conferencing and email. This lack of in-person interaction and disconnection from her team
proved to be a significant obstacle for her.
Beyond her professional challenges, Kayla also grappled with personal difficulties as a result
of the lockdown. She was residing in a shared flat in Mumbai, but her flatmate returned
home to save on rent during the lockdown, leaving her to live alone. This was a
psychological setback for her, as she struggled with feelings of loneliness and isolation. The
isolation of living alone in a bustling city such as Mumbai was particularly arduous for her.
Furthermore, the economic downturn brought about by the lockdown also affected her
personally. Despite her landlord not increasing her rent, despite her living alone in the flat,
she still faced financial hardships. She had to be frugal with her expenses and rely heavily
on her internship wages.
Despite these difficulties, Kayla was determined to persist in her studies and work. She
recognized that her education and internship were vital for her future career prospects, and
she was resolved to make the most of the situation. She adapted to working and studying
remotely, and made an effort to stay connected with her team and classmates through video
conferencing and email. Her company, cognizant of the unique circumstances she was
facing, accommodated her university schedule by allowing her to work flexible hours and
providing her with the necessary tools and resources to work remotely, such as a laptop and
internet access. Additionally, her supervisor made a concerted effort to check in with her
regularly, offering support and guidance as she navigated the challenges of working from
home. Through these accommodations and support, Kayla was able to stay on track and
continue to make valuable contributions to the team.
At the same time, Mansi was a newlywed when the pandemic hit India and the lockdown
regulations were set. As the training and development manager of the real estate firm, she
was put under tremendous stress to organize events online to keep up employee motivation.
The sudden shift to remote work was a challenge for everyone, but for Mansi, it was a
particularly difficult adjustment.
As a new bride, Mansi had to navigate the expectations and responsibilities that come with a
traditional Indian marriage. She had to learn how to balance her career with her new role as
a wife, which was made even more difficult by the sudden shift to remote work. She faced
pressure from her family to prioritize her duties as a wife and to put her career on hold. This
added an extra layer of stress to her already challenging work situation.
As the training and development manager, she was responsible for ensuring that all
employees were up-to-date with the latest industry developments and had the necessary
skills to do their jobs effectively. With the move to remote work, this became much more
difficult. She had to quickly pivot to an online training and development strategy, which was a
new challenge for her and her team.
Mansi also had to navigate new challenges in her personal life as a newlywed. Her husband
also worked from home and their living space quickly became a shared workspace. She
struggled to balance her responsibilities at work with her new role as a wife and found it
difficult to switch off from work at the end of the day.
The constant pressure and stress took a toll on her mental and physical health. She found it
difficult to sleep and often felt anxious and overwhelmed. Despite this, she remained
determined to keep her team motivated and engaged during difficult times.
The company recognized the challenges that Mansi and her team were facing and made
several accommodations to support them. They provided additional resources and support
to help them adapt to the new remote working environment. They also implemented flexible
working hours to accommodate employees with families or other personal responsibilities.
They also made efforts to understand and respect the familial expectations and pressures
that Mansi was facing as a new bride and provided her with the necessary support.
With the passage of time, these women were able to adjust to the new paradigm of working
remotely. Each of them developed their own strategies to facilitate this transition as
seamlessly as possible. Kayla embraced the shift to online learning, discovering innovative
methods of interacting with her peers and instructors. She also made a concerted effort to
maintain regular communication with her colleagues and superiors, organizing frequent
video conferences and virtual meetings to ensure that she and her team were aligned in their
efforts.
Kayla's determination and hard work ultimately paid off, as she successfully completed her
internship. She acquired valuable experience working remotely, and developed new skills
that would prove beneficial in her future career. She was also offered and accepted a
permanent position with the company.
Meera had to adapt to working from home and found it challenging at first. However, with the
help of her husband, she was able to establish a routine that balanced her work and
personal responsibilities. They established a clear distinction between their work and home
spaces and set specific times for work and relaxation. This helped Meera to focus better on
her tasks and also allowed her to disconnect from work at the end of the day.
Mansi, meanwhile, faced additional challenges as a newlywed. Not only did she have to
navigate the sudden shift to remote work as the training and development manager of a real
estate firm, but she also had to adjust to her new role as a wife and navigate familial
expectations. Despite this, she remained determined to keep her team motivated and
engaged during difficult times. In addition to finding new ways to teach her co-workers, she
also enrolled in online courses to expand her expertise in the industry. She faced constant
pressure and stress, which took a toll on her mental and physical health, but her
perseverance and dedication to her work and team helped her to overcome these
challenges.
As the lockdown began to ease and businesses started to reopen, Meera, Kayla, and Mansi
were asked to return to work. They were excited to get back to their normal routines, but also
apprehensive about how the new normal would affect their work-life balance.
After learning that her company was reopening and that she would soon be expected back
at work, Meera experienced a range of feelings. During the lockdown, she had been
conducting her business remotely and had gotten accustomed to the freedom it offered.
However, as India's lockdown laws started to ease, Meera was requested to return back to
work. She couldn't help but feel anxious and apprehensive as she prepared to return to the
workplace. For the last year, she had been combining her career as a marketing executive
with her obligations as a mother and wife, and the prospect of returning to her pre-pandemic
schedule was daunting.
She was apprehensive about the possibility of contracting COVID-19 and inadvertently
transmitting the virus to her loved ones, particularly her young son and daughter, who were
unable to fully comprehend the dangers of the pandemic or how to protect themselves.
Additionally, Meera was uncertain about how she would manage the logistics of childcare
while balancing her professional responsibilities. The prolonged lockdown period had
allowed her to personally tend to her two small children, and the thought of leaving them
once again was a source of trepidation.
She grappled with the formidable task of reconciling her professional and familial obligations.
The economic downturn brought about by the pandemic had instilled in her a sense of
financial insecurity, and she was concerned about the possibility of losing her job.
Furthermore, the downsizing of her department and the subsequent increase in her workload
left her apprehensive about her ability to maintain equilibrium between her work and her
responsibilities as a mother and wife. The prospect of working long hours and not having
adequate time for her family added to her anxieties.
Because the increased strain of going back to work and juggling her obligations may cause
exhaustion, she was concerned about the effect on her and her family's health. She was
also concerned about returning to a workplace setting during the epidemic.  The barriers
between work and personal life grew blurred as she struggled to separate her job from her
home life as a result of her remote working arrangements. Furthermore, the prospect of
returning to a strict 9-5 schedule and being apart from her children for the most of the day
was emotionally draining for her.

As Mansi was asked to return to her workplace, she was faced with a complex set of
challenges, including the risks associated with returning to the office during the ongoing
pandemic and the changes that had taken place within her department. The company had
undergone downsizing due to the economic impact of the pandemic, leading to a change in
management and raising concerns about job security.
As a Training and Development Manager, Mansi was already balancing a demanding
professional role with her responsibilities as a wife. The added stress and anxiety of the
situation made her decision to return to work full-time difficult, but she was determined to find
a balance between her work and personal life. To do so, she set clear boundaries and found
ways to incorporate her interests into her work, such as incorporating mindfulness and stress
management techniques into her training programs for her team.
However, Mansi's working relationship with her new Head of HR was challenging, as her
superior tended to micromanage and dismiss others' ideas. This made Mansi feel stressed
about her performance and reluctant to express her own ideas, and she felt that her new
superior was not providing her with the necessary support and guidance. Despite these
difficulties, Mansi took proactive steps to address these challenges by establishing clear
communication with her Head of HR and seeking feedback to improve her performance.
In addition to this, she faced the challenge of maintaining her team's morale and productivity
during the transition to new management, as she had to navigate a new working relationship
with her superiors and support her team through the uncertainty of the changes. By fostering
open communication and being sensitive to the needs and concerns of her team members,
Mansi was able to navigate these challenges.
Kayla's return to the office environment marked the end of a long and challenging period
working remotely. As she settled back into her role as a project manager, she found herself
facing a new set of difficulties, many of which were unexpected. One of the primary
challenges Kayla faced was readjusting to the office environment and in-person interactions,
after spending months working from home. Despite her success in remote work, Kayla found
that working in the office presented a new set of distractions and difficulties, particularly with
regards to maintaining her focus and productivity.
Moreover, Kayla was also grappling with balancing her workload as a project manager and
her ongoing studies. The dual responsibilities of work and school were becoming
increasingly demanding, and Kayla found it challenging to find the time and energy to
complete her coursework to the standard she desired. This was compounded by the need to
navigate new team dynamics and workplace politics, which took time and effort to
understand and master.
Additionally, Kayla was also dealing with feelings of anxiety and burnout after spending a
long period of solitude working from home. The isolation and stress of the pandemic had
taken a toll on her mental health, and she found that she was struggling to fully relax and
enjoy her time off. She was, therefore, determined to prioritize self-care and maintain a
healthy work-life balance, but this was easier said than done.
Evaluation:

Working from home, often referred as telecommuting or telework, is the practice of doing
professional duties from a remote location, generally one's own house. Working from home
became popular in the 1970s and has grown in popularity in recent years as technology has
advanced and high-speed internet has been more widely available. Working from home has
several advantages for both individuals and companies, including greater flexibility and
control over work schedules, decreased commuting time and expenses, and enhanced
work-life balance.
Increased flexibility is one of the key advantages of working from home. Employees may
select when and where they work, allowing them to better combine work and personal
obligations.
However, During the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations were forced to adopt remote
work or working from home as a response to the global health crisis (Zhou & Chen, 2020).
This sudden shift to working from home created several challenges and negative impacts on
individuals and organizations. Meera's story shows various problems encountered by
women returning to work following a confinement, particularly those working from home.
These difficulties, which have significant ramifications for businesses, may be analyzed via
the perspective of organizational behavior. Work-life balance and the emotional toll of
returning to work are two themes in Meera's narrative. Working mothers, in particular,
frequently struggle to reconcile work and family commitments, resulting in stress and burnout
(Blakely & Yarwood, 2017). The challenges women have in juggling their employment and
family obligations are illustrated through Meera's struggles to achieve a decent work-life
balance.
The effect of remote work on work-life integration is another component of Meera's
experience (Madsen & Desmet, 2019). Remote employment can make it harder to
distinguish between work and personal life by obfuscating these lines (Blakely & Yarwood,
2017). Meera's sadness at having to return to a strict 9-5 schedule underscores the
challenges of shifting from remote employment to a typical work setting.
The pandemic's effects on working conditions, safety issues, and psychological health are all
highlighted in Meera's account. The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated worries about going
back to work during a pandemic and raised awareness of the value of workplace health and
safety (Madsen & Desmet, 2019).
Meera's fear of catching COVID-19 and infecting her family exemplifies the influence of
health concerns on employee well-being. Burnout might result from the additional pressure
of going back to work and juggling obligations (Shirom, 2009). Negative effects on mental
health might also result from switching from remote employment to a more conventional
work environment (Kern et al., 2021).
Organizations must guarantee that the workplace is safe, that employees feel secure, and
that their psychological well-being is taken into account (CIPD, 2021; OSHA, 2020). In order
to help employees during a period of upheaval and uncertainty, Meera's story emphasizes
the significance of taking into account work-life integration, balance, safety, and health.
Kayla's story sheds light on the challenges faced by women in the workplace during and
after the lockdown, as it highlights the impact of remote work on job satisfaction, job
performance, and work-life balance, leading to decreased employee well-being (De Bloom,
Hall, & Siegrist, 2013; Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Her experiences also show the role of
leadership and communication in navigating the challenges posed by the pandemic, as well
as the effectiveness of virtual teamwork and collaboration (Jiang, Zhu, & Zhang, 2018). Her
company's efforts to accommodate her university schedule by allowing her to work flexible
hours and providing her with the necessary tools and resources to work remotely, such as a
laptop and internet access, and her supervisor's regular check-ins to offer support and
guidance, were crucial in mitigating the challenges of remote work (Kreiner & Hall, 2006).
The pandemic also had implications for workforce diversity and inclusiveness and the role of
technology in facilitating or hindering remote work (Kelleher, 2016). Kayla's experiences
emphasize the importance of employee mental health and well-being, including stress and
burnout, in the context of remote work (Shirom, 2013).
Kayla faced several challenges in transitioning to remote work, which resulted in feelings of
isolation, decreased work-life balance, and decreased job satisfaction, as reported by the
Harvard Business Review (2021). The shift back to in-person work also posed difficulties, as
employees who have been working from home are at risk of re-entry shock, which may have
been compounded in Kayla's case by the difficulty in balancing work and personal life, as
well as the stress and anxiety of returning to a physical work environment during the
pandemic (Society for Human Resource Management, 2022).
Furthermore, Kayla's experiences demonstrate the additional challenges faced by women in
the workplace, particularly in terms of balancing work and personal life, as reported by the
World Economic Forum (2021). In her case, this was evident through her feelings of
loneliness and isolation while living alone, and her reliance on her internship wages due to
financial hardships.
Mansi's story highlights a number of key organizational behavior aspects that are relevant to
women returning to work after lockdown, as well as the challenges faced by women working
from home. These include job security, work-life balance, managing stress and anxiety,
navigating changes in management, and maintaining team morale.
One major challenge faced by Mansi, as well as many other women in similar situations, is
job security. The economic impact of the pandemic has resulted in downsizing in many
companies, which can lead to concerns about job security and stability (Blau, 2020). This
can be particularly stressful for women, who may already be facing gender-based
discrimination and pay disparities in the workplace (Krousel-Wood et al., 2020).
Another challenge faced by Mansi is work-life balance, which is a common issue for women
who are also responsible for caregiving responsibilities at home (Lencioni, 2019). Mansi had
to consider the potential impact of reducing her hours on her career, as well as her ability to
provide for herself and her new husband. This highlights the ongoing struggle that many
women face in trying to balance their professional and personal lives (Buchholz & Rothbard,
2009).
The added stress and anxiety that Mansi experiences due to her difficult working relationship
with her new Head of HR is also a common challenge faced by women in the workplace.
Research has shown that women are more likely to experience stress and anxiety in the
workplace, particularly in male-dominated environments where they may feel marginalized
and dismissed (McGinn et al., 2018). This can impact their mental and physical well-being,
as well as their ability to perform effectively in their roles.
The change in management and the uncertainty about how the new management will
approach her responsibilities is another challenge that Mansi faces. This highlights the
importance of effective communication and the role that leaders play in creating a supportive
and inclusive workplace culture (Krousel-Wood et al., 2020). In particular, autocratic leaders,
who tend to be controlling and dismissive of others' ideas, can create a toxic work
environment and contribute to high levels of stress and anxiety for employees (Bass & Bass,
2008).
Finally, Mansi's story highlights the challenge of maintaining team morale and productivity
during a time of change and uncertainty. This is a common challenge for leaders, who must
be sensitive to the different needs and concerns of their team members and find ways to
support and engage them (Robbins & Judge, 2017).