National Economics University

International School of Management and Economics

International Bachelor Degree Program

The impact of working from home on job performance of employees in Agribank

Hanoi

Student: Nguyen Duy Anh

ID: 10190208
Instructors: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Vu Hung
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Quang Canh
 Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................4
1. Rationales...........................................................................................................................................4
2. Agribank context...............................................................................................................................5
3. Research objectives and questions....................................................................................................6
3.1. Research objectives:..............................................................................................................6
3.2. Research questions:...............................................................................................................6
4. Objects and scope..........................................................................................................................6
5. Literature Review..............................................................................................................................6
5.1. Working from home...................................................................................................................6
5.2. Job performance.........................................................................................................................7
5.3. Work-life balance........................................................................................................................8
5.4. Research gaps..............................................................................................................................8
6. Hypothesis development....................................................................................................................8
8. Methodology.....................................................................................................................................10
8.1. Variables and measurement.....................................................................................................10
8.1.1. Variables.................................................................................................................................10
8.1.2. Measurement..........................................................................................................................11
8.2. Data............................................................................................................................................12
8.3. Research methods.....................................................................................................................12
8.4. Descriptive statistics.................................................................................................................13
8.5. Exploratory factor analysis......................................................................................................13
8.6. Regression analysis...................................................................................................................13
EMPIRICAL FINDINGS.......................................................................................................................14
1. Respondents’ demographic.........................................................................................................14
2. Reliability test..............................................................................................................................16
3. Validity test..................................................................................................................................17
4. Regression analysis......................................................................................................................20
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................22
1. Discussion.....................................................................................................................................22
2. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................22
3. Limitation.....................................................................................................................................23
 4. Recommendation for further research.......................................................................................23
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................24
APPENDIX..............................................................................................................................................26
List of Table and Figure
Table 1: Respondents’ demographic profile 5
Table 2: Reliability test..........................................................................................................8
Table 3: Validity test............................................................................................................11
Table 4: Regression test.......................................................................................................14
 INTRODUCTION
1. Rationales 
Working from home is becoming more and more popular over the years, especially
during the pandemic, this concept became even more popular when companies had to let their
employees work from home. However, changing the working environment can lead to many
issues and this could potentially affect the job performance of employees. And the banking
industry is affected a lot by this phenomenon. During Covid-19, many banks in Vietnam applied
WFH for their employees and had some positive results. Some journals also find that employees
adapted to WFH and have the desire to continue to work from home after the pandemic. On the
other hand, changing the workplace can cause a number of challenges, some of which may
impair employees' ability to perform their jobs successfully (Kazi, 2020). In light of these
findings, this study sought to investigate the association between job performance and working
from home in Vietnam's banking business. In addition to working from home, other terms for
working from home include teleworking and remote working (WFH). There is a system in place
that allows employees to work remotely or from home. More than half of CEOs' full-time staff
members expect to work remotely by 2020. However, there seems to be no clear evidence about
the actual performance of employees during the period when they were working from home.
Therefore, this research decided to investigate this particular relationship between working from
home and job performance, in the context of the banking industry of Vietnam. This research
will fill in the research gaps where there is no research about WFH and JP dedicatedly for the
context of Vietnam, 2 specific aspects of WFH including communication and technology will
be used in this research.

2. Agribank context
Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (Agribank) is the leading
commercial bank in Vietnam, always affirming its role as the largest commercial bank,
leading in the Vietnamese banking system in terms of assets. , capital, credit, human
resources, number of customers, branch network. Being a commercial bank that plays a
key and pillar role in the country's economy, especially in the fields of agriculture, rural
areas and farmers; carry out the important mission of leading the market. In recent years,
Agribank is also known for its image of a commercial bank with an advanced technology
system, providing modern and convenient products and services.
Agribank's information technology system has made great progress over the past 10 years.
These results have helped bring Agribank from a bank with an outdated and slow technological
level that has made great strides in technology, to a bank with a modern and advanced
technology system in Vietnam. However, compared with the model and technology system of
modern banks in the region and in the world, Agribank's information technology system is still
in the stage of construction and development. There are still many limitations, there are still
some shortcomings that need to be improved, there is still a big gap compared to the
technological model of modern banks.
 In the context of the changing working environment due to covid-19 in recent years,
Agribank has implemented a strategy of maintaining a minimum number of employees at the
branch, while most of them are working from home. With the momentum of human and
technological development of Agribank in recent years, understanding the impact of Working
from home on job performance of Agribank employees is of great significance in researching
this issue in the banking industry in Viet Nam.

3. Research objectives and questions 

3.1. Research objectives:
 To investigate the impact of working from home on the job performance of employees in
the banking industry
 To make recommendations to improve the job performance of employees when working
from home

3.2. Research questions:

 What are the concepts of working from home and job performance? How to measure
them? 
 How does working from home affect job performance of employees in banking industry?
 What can be done to improve job performance of employees in banking industry?

4. Objects and scope 

The impact of work from home on job performance will be the research object for this
research, and this research only focuses on the individual level, employees who work in the
banking industry that are currently or had experienced working from home will be chosen to be
the objects of this research. With the scope being specifically in Hanoi, only employees who
work for banks that are in Hanoi will be surveyed. In more detail, the respondents to the survey
sheet for this study belong to one or two branches of Agribank in Hanoi.

5. Literature Review
5.1. Working from home
Working from home (WFH) or also known as teleworking or homeworking is considered
as an alternative for the traditional workplace which is the company’s office (Druker, 2000).
Since the pandemic, this way of working became more common in companies but mostly under
the form of a policy or forced task and led to a great increase in the number of WFH employees
(Green, 2020). WFH has become a growing trend because of the pandemic; one study reported
that there were 16% of employees working from home in the USA before the pandemic and this
portion jumped up to 65% during the pandemic (Bichel, 2021). Some other countries where
WFH was already very popular still had an increase in the number of WFH employees; for
instance, the UK recorded a 5% increase compared to pre-pandemic. However, WFH is not
restrained in the context of the covid-19 pandemic since this concept of working was being
studied for decades already. Though the General Authority of Statistic reported that IT, banking
and insurance were 3 industries that accounted for the largest portion of WFH employees in
various countries, this way of working is not ideal for all jobs and individuals (Etheridge, 2020).
WFH was stated to be most likely to fit employees whose work does not involve too much
human interactions and knowledge-based tasks (Aum, 2020). In fact, the World Economic
Forum recorded a huge percentage of business leaders, up to 78%, think WFH can affect
productivity negatively. Yet, 84.5% of companies want to give their employees the option of
WFH (Bichel, 2021). Twitter is a company that successfully reported positive improvement
from permanent remote-working, however, only an appropriate amount of time can lead to this
result while too many hours of teleworking can cause opposite effects (Kazekami, 2019). The
traditional real-life interactions working environment was claimed by some studies to be
essential to maintain creativity, innovation, motivation and focus for employees. Another issue
with WFH is working facilities, for the outcomes remain efficient and effective, companies also
have to make sure their employees have the needed tools for their job like at the office available
at their home. (Choukir, 2022)
Overall, WFH for employees can be beneficial in many ways but mainly revolves being
allowed to be flexible and autonomous with their working time, reduce time and cost for
transportation, better control on work-life balance and job satisfaction. Meanwhile, some issues
could exist when WFH are limited working conditions, technical issues, being isolated from the
workplace network and more. (Choukir, 2022)
Similarly, WFH can also be beneficial for the companies as it potentially improves
employee productivity and job satisfaction, better retention and reduces cost for workplace
facilities. Yet, there are also some drawbacks, employees WFH can be harder to monitor and
control, or even to support them remotely with their work and some negatives regarding
workplace social networks might also appear. (Choukir, 2022)
According to the Blitchok (2021). Technology and Communication is 2 factors in WFH,
and they help businesses work more efficiency. According to recent studies, job flexibility
appears to be linked to productivity. For example, 87 percent of Argentinian businesspeople
thought their organizations were more productive because of the flexibility in working hours,
and 45 percent said they were over 40% more productive (Levine, 2020). Various ways of
Technology in WFH and Communication in WFH will affect the balance between personal
work and office work in many aspects (Levine, 2020).

5.2. Job performance

According to Lynda and Catherine (2003), There is a three-dimensional conceptual
framework, which includes contextual performance, task performance, and counterproductive
work behavior.
Contextual performance, according to Stephan, Walter, and Mark (2009), may be
characterized as additional behavior and activities beyond the core work that helps the
company, such as growing skills and knowledge, capacities to complete extra tasks, or having
initiative. Because their actions are not formally part of the job description, there is a separation
between task performance and contextual performance. Contextual performance, on the other
hand, indirectly helps business performance by speeding task performance. Individuals
contribute to the context in a variety of ways, including inspiring others to execute behavior that
benefits the company's efficiency, increasing the individual's willingness to contribute to the
business, and ultimately, displaying an action that influences the corporation's capital.
The task performance is the next dimension, which is defined as the capacity to do the
central or core task of the job. Task performance is defined as the capacity to be results-
oriented, organize and plan, work competently, and produce high-quality work. This level
encompasses activities that directly convert raw resources into commodities and services
(Jerry,1995).
Finally, detrimental work conduct contrasts with an activity that is beneficial to the
company's aims. This dimension is made up of results that have a negative value for company
efficiency. These include acts that put the firm at risks, such as exploitation of time and
resources, poor job quality, whining, material exploitation, and harmful conduct (Melissa and
Paul, 2003).

5.3. Work-life balance 

Work-life balance is described as happiness and high performance at work and at home with
the least amount of friction. Furthermore, work-life balance refers to an acceptable amount of
conflict between work and nonwork obligations, which frequently entails balancing competing
resource demands (David, 2002).
Work-life balance, according to Sirgy and Lee (2017), is not so much about quantity -
balancing the number of hours spent at work with hours spent outside of work is practically
difficult. Balance, on the other hand, is the outcome of the quality of time spent, both at work
and in non-work activities.
Work-life balance is becoming more vital as new generations of employees enter the
workplace, necessitating a higher focus on finding a work-life balance. In addition, there is
rising worry in the community as the conflict between work and core life intensifies, resulting in
a decrease in quality of life (Steve, 2007).

5.4. Research gaps

Different from the studies mentioned in Literature review, which focuses on analyzing the
effects of WFH on job performance. This research will show one more intermediate variable
between WFH and Job performance: Work-life balance. Also, this research will specifically be
using 2 aspects of communication and technology of WFH as the measurement for this variable,
to provide more details from these two aspects for a particular analysis. We will show the
relationship between the variables thereby drawing a more detailed view of this issue in the
banking industry in Vietnam. Since the amount of research about the relationship between WFH
and Job performance is still limited, this research will contribute by adding more information
for this specific research topic. 

6. Hypothesis development
WFH enhances WLB in general, and several researchers have proven this (Bellmann and
Hubler, 2020; Gajendran and Harrison, 2007; Hilbrecht et al., 2008). WFH was viewed
positively, it improved employee happiness by increasing autonomy and decreasing work-
family conflicts (Bellmann and Hubler, 2020; Gajendran and Harrison, 2007). WFH, on the
other hand, increases job and domestic tasks stress, resulting in reduced WLB, according to
Kazekami (2020). Thorstensson (2020) had a similar viewpoint, examining how Covid-19-
specific characteristics can reduce WLB in patients who WFH. Meanwhile, communication was
found to be a major change with employees when they work from home (DeSanctis, G, 1984).
When working from home, employees are forced to communicate with co-workers and
managers through telecommuting systems (DeSanctis, G, 1984). Based on these findings,
where communication is one factor that can measure WFH and WFH have impacts on WLB, we
came up with the following hypothesis.
 Hypothesis 1: Work from home communication has a positive impact on work-life
balance

Working from home forces employees to change the workplace as well as working
environment, from the office to their home. Employees when working from home will have to
use their own technology at home for their work and usually it is not the same as in the office
(Glob Transit, 2021). Based on these findings, where technology is one factor of WFH and
WFH have impacts on WLB, we came up with the following hypothesis.
 Hypothesis 2: Work from home technology has a positive impact on work-life
balance

Many studies in the human capital sector show that WLB adoption has a major impact on
employee job performance (Adekunle, 2018; Ansari et al., 2015; Beauregard and Henry, 2009;
Isamu and Toshiyuki, 2012). Some research looked at how higher staff productivity led to a
lower turnover rate in a company (Beauregard and Henry, 2009; Isamu and Toshiyuki, 2012).
Other research looked at how WLB methods, such as the flexible work arrangement concept,
increased employee productivity significantly (Adekunle, 2018; Ansari et al., 2015). Based on
these findings, we came up with the following hypothesis.
 Hypothesis 3: Work-life balance has a positive impact on job performance
 7. Research framework
After developing 3 hypotheses, this research came up with the following research
framework which shows the relationship between variables. In which, WFH Communication
(X1) and Technology (X2) have influence on the mediate variable WLB (M), and WLB have
influence on JP (Y). Also, JP will receive impacts from all variables including control variables
(Z).

Figure 1: Research framework

8. Methodology
8.1. Variables and measurement
8.1.1. Variables
From the results of previous studies, this study will have 3 variables: the independent
variable is [Work from home – WFH] which is made up of 2 factors communication (WFHCO)
and technology (WFHTE), the dependent variable is [Job performance - JP] and an intermediate
variable is [Work-life balance - WLB].
 8.1.2. Measurement
Communication and technology are two factors that were found to be changing a lot
when employees work from home, therefore, this research will measure WFH based on these
two factors.
Table 1: Variables measurement

References
Variables Items

[WFHCO1] I communicate well Prasetyaning

when working from home tyas et al. (2021)
[WFHCO2] I feel more Prasetyaning
comfortable communicating when tyas et al. (2021)
working from home than in the office
Communication
[WFHCO3] I often have online Prasetyaning
meetings tyas et al. (2021)
[WFHCO4] My relationship with Prasetyaning
Work colleagues is good when working tyas et al. (2021)
from home from home
(WFH) [WFHTE1] My work-from-home Prasetyaning
devices are as assured as those at the tyas et al. (2021)
office
[WFHTE2] I rarely have Prasetyaning
Technology technical problems when working tyas et al. (2021)
from home
Prasetyaning
[WFHTE3] I can handle technical
tyas et al. (2021)
problems while working from home
Work- [WLB1] Working from home gives me more Prasetyaning
life balance opportunities to take care of my family while still getting tyas et al. (2021)
(WLB) work done
[WLB2] Family relationships are better while I work Prasetyaning
from home tyas et al. (2021)

[WLB3] Working from home doesn't affect my Prasetyaning

married life tyas et al. (2021)

[WLB4] Working from home saves me a lot of time Prasetyaning

for other personal things tyas et al. (2021)
 [WLB5] I'm more inspired when working from home Prasetyaning
tyas et al. (2021)

[WLB6] I feel healthy and full of energy while Prasetyaning

working from home tyas et al. (2021)

[WLB7] I experience less pressure and negative Prasetyaning

emotions when working from home tyas et al. (2021)

[WLB8] I still want to continue working from home in Prasetyaning

the future tyas et al. (2021)

[JP1] The number of customers served in a day does Prasetyaning

not change compared to when working at the office tyas et al. (2021)

Job [JP2] The speed of completing work when working Prasetyaning

performance from home is guaranteed tyas et al. (2021)
(JP)
[JP3] Customers are satisfied with my service during Prasetyaning
working from home tyas et al. (2021)

8.2. Data collection

This research will use primary data from employees in the banking industry (Agribank in
this research) for the analysis and to find the answers to the research questions, these data will
be collected by sending surveys to employees, further details will be mentioned in the research
methods part. At first, I initially sent the survey sheet to Agribank Pham Ngoc Thach branch.
However, the number of respondents was not enough compared to the requirements of the
research, so I continued to send survey to Agribank De La Thanh branch. And the resulting
number of valid single responses has exceeded the minimum threshold.

8.3. Research methods

This research will use a quantitative method which is through surveys for data
collection. The data will be used to discover the relationship between working from home and
job performance, and to make suitable recommendations accordingly for improving job
performance of employees in the banking industry. 
The sample for this research will be generated by the snowball sampling methods,
where most participants of the survey are referrals of some initial participants who have
connections. Sample size was selected according to the formula: N= 50+8k (Tabachinick and
Fidell, 1996) with N is sample size and k is number of independent. For that reason, the
minimum number of samples is 70 and the total number of distributed survey sheets is 100. The
questionnaire will be designed based on factors revolving working from home and employees
job performance after reviewing some readings, then, the questionnaire and data will be sent
and collected through Google Form. 

8.4. Descriptive statistics

This research will use descriptive statistics analysis to summarize the data of the sample
and variables from the survey. This analysis will help to have an overview of the collected data
for an easy general understanding of the sample and variables. 

8.5. Exploratory factor analysis

Next, this research will then use the exploratory factor analysis including the reliability
test using Cronbach’s alpha and a validity test for the collected data. Cronbach alpha reflects
the internal consistency or also called the level of reliability of a survey, the higher alpha the
more reliable the survey is. A validity test is used to find out how accurate the method used to
measure a variable is, meaning to calculate the accuracy of that measurement.  

8.6. Regression analysis

Finally, this research will use regression analysis to discover the relationships between
different variables to see how each variable impacts on one or more other variables. There are 2
estimated model being used, model 1: M = f(X1, X2, e) and model 2: Y = f(X1, X2, M, Z, u).
 EMPIRICAL FINDINGS

1. Respondents’ demographic
After distribute survey sheet, I collected 88 respondents available to analyze. This table
below illustrated the respondents’ demographic profile based on survey result.
Table 2: Respondents’ demographic profile

Items Categories Frequency Percentage Cumulative

Percentage
Gender Male 30 34.1 34.1
Female 58 65.9 100.0
Educatio Colleges 7 8.0 8.0
n level and below
University 50 56.8 64.8
Master and 31 35.2 100.0
above
Work Director 0.0 0.0 0.0
position
Vice 3 3.4 3.4
Director
Manager 15 17.0 20.4
Employee 70 79.5 100.0
Work Under 5 32 36.4 36.4
experience years
5-10 years 34 38.6 75.0
Upper 10 22 25.0 100.0
years
 Figure 2: Age of interviewees

Age and Gender: In this survey, I have collected information from 2 branches of Agribank
in Hanoi to make the results more reliable and accurate. Among the respondents to the survey
sheet, the age group of 30 to 40 dominated. These are young people who still understand the
specifics of the job, the working environment and have average work experience. In the other
hand, the majority of respondents were female, accounting for 65.9%. This ratio is
understandable when women in the banking industry account for 60% (according to the State
Bank, 2020).
Education level: Most of the respondents have graduated from university and graduated
from university (92%). This will be a great advantage for the survey as the assessments obtained
will be highly academic and professional. It can be seen that the education level of the two
Agribank branches is quite high. This proves that the quality of recruited bank staff is quite
good. The 7 people with less than college education may just be a special case.
Work position: The survey sheet did not reach branch directors, however, there were 3
deputy directors and 15 managers participating in the responses. This survey will be specialized
because there is a large number of senior managers in the 2 bank branches. The managers and
deputy directors will be the decision makers. Employees are those who work directly at the
transaction office, directly dealing with customers.
Work experience: Most of the interviewees have relatively little experience and range from
10 years of experience or less. These people often hold low positions in banks. However, they
are employees who adapt well to changes in the environment and technology. 25% of
respondents have more than 10 years of work experience. This is a group of people with
experience and often hold higher positions in the bank. More experienced people will be in a
decision-making and guiding role for younger employees.

2. Reliability test
The Table 2 below show the reliability test result. The results are calculated in SPSS.

Table 3: Reliability test

Items Scale Corrected Cronbach’s

Mean if item item- Total Alpha if item
deleted Correlation deleted
Technology in WFH .692

[WFHT1] My work-from- 6.51 .503 .623

home devices are as assured as
those at the office
[WFHT2] I rarely have 6.30 .589 .497
technical problems when
working from home
[WFHT3] I can handle 6.17 .453 .666
technical problems while
working from home
Work-life balance .807

[WLB1] Working from 21.73 .398 .805

home gives me more
opportunities to take care of my
family while still getting work
done
[WLB2] Family 22.06 .521 .786
relationships are better while I
work from home
[WLB4] Working from 21.78 .399 .804
home saves me a lot of time for
other personal things
 [WLB5] I'm more inspired 22.82 .635 .765
when working from home
[WLB6] I feel healthy and 22.40 .693 .752
full of energy while working
from home
[WLB7] I experience less 21.99 .451 .797
pressure and negative emotions
when working from home
[WLB8] I still want to 22.75 .709 .748
continue working from home in
the future
Job performance .685

[JP1] The number of 3.77 .522

customers served in a day does
not change compared to when
working at the office
[JP2] The speed of 3.59 .522
completing work when working
from home is guaranteed

Table 2 shows that the Cronbach's alpha of 3 variance is higher than 0.6, which proves
that the study procedure is quite reliable. Item in variables will be removed if it has a
Cronbach's alpha less than the Cronbach's alpha of the whole variable. The mediating variable
[Work-Life Balance] has the highest Cronbach's alpha index. Other variables including the
independent variable [WFHT] and the dependent variable [Job performance] have Cronbach's
alpha of 0.692 and 0.685, respectively. The above Cronbach's alpha values are not really good,
but still meet reliability requirement and be accepted. Finally, during the data processing, there
appeared a variable [WFHC] is removed because all items of this variable do not satisfied
condition of reliability.

3. Validity test
After completing the data reliability test using Cronbach's alpha, use Exploratory Factor
Analysis (EFA) to test the validity of the measurement items is the next step. In SPSS, Using
Varimax Rotation and Principal Components, the minimum factor loading was set to 0.5. A
KMO Measure of Sampling Adequacy value of greater than 0.5 and a Bartlett's Test result of
less than 0.05 are also acceptable for further analysis.
 Table 4: Validity test

Component

1 2 3 4 5
Independent variables
[WFHC2] I feel more comfortable .603
communicating when working from home than
in the office
[WFHC3] Working from home doesn't .773
affect my married life
[WFHC4] Working from home saves me a .666
lot of time for other personal things
[WFHT1] My work-from-home devices .772
are as assured as those at the office
[WFHT2] I rarely have technical problems .850
when working from home
[WFHT3] I can handle technical problems .699
while working from home
Mediating variables
[WLB5] I'm more inspired when working .871
from home
[WLB8] I still want to continue working .799
from home in the future
[WLB2] Family relationships are better .751
while I work from home
[WLB6] I feel healthy and full of energy .702
while working from home
[WLB1] Working from home gives me .507
more opportunities to take care of my family
while still getting work done
[WLB7] I experience less pressure and .906
negative emotions when working from home
[WLB4] Working from home saves me a .825
lot of time for other personal things
Dependent variables
[JP1] The number of customers served in a .903
day does not change compared to when
working at the office
[JP2] The speed of completing work when .826
working from home is guaranteed

The KMO values of all three variables are greater than 0.5 and Bartlett's result is
0.000>0.05. From there infer the factors that are suitable for the data file to study and the
observed variables are correlated with each other.

The loading factor will be used to assess the relationship between the observed factors and
variables. When the loading factor is higher, the link is stronger, and vice versa (Hair, 2019).
The levels of significance for factor loading are as follows:
- Factor Loading of 0.7: The statistical significance of the assessed variables is 0.7
exceptionally high
- Factor Loading of 0.5: the variables being tested are statistically sound.
- Factor Loading of 0.3: this is the absolute minimum required to keep the observed
variables.
The requirements need to be met or else the variables will be excluded.
Sample size will be the main factor determining the factor loading's standard value. This
survey is based on 88 respondents (closest to 85) so the standard loading factor is 0.6
For [Work from home] measurement items, after Varimax rotation and Principal
Component Analysis, the 7 items in this variable are divided into 2 main components. By
observing the variables, it is conceivable that the items WFHT1, WFHT2 and WFHT3 belong to
the same component because these 3 items tend to mention about technical problems during
work from home. Meanwhile, the first 4 items tend to refer to communication during work from
home. However, WFHC1 is still in component 1, so this item must be rejected. On the hand, the
WFHC2 item is in both components. Theoretically, we have to calculate the difference in
loading factor between the two values in the two components as 0.012 (0.578-0.566) < 0.3,
leading to consider eliminate this variable (Tho Nguyen, nd). However, after re-checking the
sampling process and the design of the questionnaire, I found that this result may just be
because the sample size of this study is not enough. So, my decision was to keep this item and
get its loading factor to be a larger value: 0.603.
On the other hand, the Rotated Component Matrix of [Work life balance] is divided into 3
components, in which the WLB3 item is isolated, leading to the removal of this item. The
question of item WLB3 is a question regarding the effect of Work from home on marital
relationships. This question when testing Cronbach alpha also gave an unreliable result. This
could be explained because not all interviewees were married, so it is very likely that some
respondents answered this question randomly. This leads to unreliability and invalidity in the
results. From there, the items will be divided into 2 main groups in the Table 3.2.3 above.
3 measurement items for [Job performance] are divided into 2 group. But [JP3] is a separate
component and needs to be removed. The rationale for the decision to remove the JP3 item is
 that it's possible that the customer satisfaction question might not really be a metric for
assessing job performance accurately. Leads to a deviation in the division of factors.

4. Regression analysis

To examine the structure of the hypothesis we use the Regression test. The hypothesis is
tested using regression analysis, highlighting the linear relationships between the influence of
control variables and the main variables. The link between the variables Work from home (X),
Work-life balance (M) and Job performance (Y) is shown through 3 models

Table 5: Regression test

Model 1 (M) Model 2 (M) Model 3 (Y)

  
(standardized) (standardized) (standardized)
Control variables
.107
Gender
.067
Age
.189**
Education level
-.041
Working position
Working .055
experience
Independent variables
.203*
Work-life balance
Communication in .480*** .290**
WFH
 Technology in .220** .242**
WFH
No. observations 88 88 88

Adjusted R2 .222 .037 .330

Note: *, **, and *** indicate the significance level at 10%, 5%, and 1% respectively.

The R square index shows the degree of correlation between the independent variable and
the dependent variable. From the above conclusion, we can easily see that Adjusted R2 is from
0.037 to 0.330. People often choose an intermediate level of 0.5 to evaluate research with high
value (R2 Adjusted > 0.5) or research with low value (R2 Adjusted < 0.5). However, some
comments also say that it is not always a regression model with high R2 that the study has a high
value and a model with a low R2 that the study has a low value make the regression model has a
low relevance. There is no causal relationship with the value of the study. For this study, the
limitation of sample size, as well as the number of variables participating in the regression, are
also factors contributing to the above results. In summary, R2 result as above (0.222, 0.330) is
acceptable in this case. On the other hand, Technology in Work from home is not effects on
Work-life balance significantly because Adjusted R square at 0.037 (3.7%). The adjusted R-
squared value of Model 3 is 0.330, showing that the independent variables included in the
regression analysis affect 33.0% of the variation of the dependent variable, the rest 67.0% are
due to out-of-model variables and random error.
From the Regression test table (Table 4), we can conclude that [Work from home] and
[Work-life balance] both positively affect [Job performance]. On the other hand, Technology
and Communication also has a positive effect on [Work-life balance] with an influence level of
22% and 48%. Thus, the variables all have a large mutual influence. In addition, the head
variables have Sig. value is less than 0.05. The independent variables are all statistically
significant. However, among the control variables, only [Education level] has the p-value Sig.
<0.05. The other independent variables are not statistically significant and not eligible in the p-
value. Thus, we can come to the conclusion that the relationship of control variables with the
model is that only Education level has an impact on the research model. The higher the
education level, the more positively it affects job performance when working from home.
 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
1. Discussion
Communication in WFH has a considerable impact on productivity, according to the
findings. The hypothesis test result support the H1 which is based on previous research result:
WFH communication has a positive impact on staff productivity (Bloom et al., 2015; Kazekami,
2020; Revenio et al., 2019; Ulloa-Bermudez, 2018). Even though the current investigation is
being conducted after the COVID-19 epidemic, other studies have found the similar association.
In terms of the study's scope, the previous research focused on the direct influence and general
notion of WFH on productivity. WFH practitioners are adaptable and can change (or be
changed) to match new conditions (Baker et al., 2007). According to studies, the number of
employees who participate in WFH grows. WFH's negative connotation will most certainly
fade, resulting in increased overall productivity (Thorstensson, 2020; Vyas and Butakhieo,
2020).
Technology has a beneficial impact on WLB, according to the findings. The hypothesis'
findings are consistent with the previous study, which found that Technology in WFH practice
improves employee WLB (Fapohunda, 2014; Soerjoatmodjo, 2020; Subramaniam et al., 2015).
The technology may also blur the boundaries between work and home life, allowing for
additional flexibility in work-life balance. Employees will be happier and more relaxed if they
have less time pressure.
WLB has a positive impact on productivity, according to the findings. The hypothesis test
results are consistent with the previous study, which found that WLB practice improves
employee productivity (Adekunle, 2018; Bloom et al., 2006). Because this research is being
conducted during the COVID-19 epidemic, a predictable outcome is expected. People may have
less pressure and have more free time to pursue personal interests (Fapohunda, 2014).
Companies that have better management practices have a greater WLB and productivity
(Beauregard et al., 2013). Various employees will have different levels and expectations of
WLB because it is all based on business policy, goals, and purpose. So, that the reason why
WFH have significant impacts on WLB.

2. Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic's social and economic effects have resulted in a widespread shift
toward WFH, particularly in the banking industry (Suppawittaya et al., 2020). The purpose of
this research is to look into the relationship between WFH, WLB, and staff productivity in the
Hanoi banking business. Three of the hypotheses mentioned are accepted. Many previous
studies have found that many aspects in WFH have a positive impact on productivity (Bloom et
al., 2015; Kazekami, 2020; Revenio et al., 2019; UlloaBermudez, 2018). Companies that follow
appropriate WFH practices increase productivity and creative tasks, which is critical for
knowledge employees in the banking business. Much previous research had found work-life
balance to be a mediator variable between WFH and employee productivity (Hussain et al.,
2012; Lucille et al., 2018; Das, 2014; Singh et al., 2017). Work-life balance factors such as
family relationship and personal experience will boost employee productivity in general.
Agribank and every bank in Vietnam must be aware of issues that could affect employee
productivity while performing WFH. This research emphasizes the importance of firms
considering aspects that may affect employee work-life balance, since a good WLB status will
enhance productivity when doing WFH. In the future, Work from home can be the new working
method, regardless of pandemic.

3. Limitation
In this study, survey questions were conducted online via Google form. This may have led
to the lack of reliability of the interviewees. Respondents may answer indiscriminately to
complete, resulting in a lack of reliability and validity. In addition, the low sample size is a
notable limitation. This makes result of survey non-reliability and lack of objectivity. This leads
to a deviation in the analysis of the collected data as well as a deviation from what happens in
reality. The selection of survey respondents is also a limitation in this research. Selecting new or
inexperienced employees Work-from home will also lead to random answers causing results
that are not true to reality. Finally, the questionnaires design also needs attention. In this
research, there are some questions that are not general, for example “Working from home
doesn't affect my married life” because not everyone is married. This has confounded and
misjudged the relationship between items and variables.

4. Recommendation for further research

In future further studies, I expect to be able to collect a larger sample size and expand the
scope of the industry research to other banks. Future research also needs to add more control
variables to have a more comprehensive data set and analysis. From that, research can properly
assess the problem and give more detailed recommendations. Along with that, the careful
screening of respondents and questionnaires needs to be more thorough. The aim of that is to
avoid dishonest responses or questions that are not general or misleading. Further research also
can be used qualitative method to have a subjective view of professionals and carefully selected.
 REFERENCES

1. Drucker, J.; Khattak, A. Propensity to Work from Home: Modeling Results from the 1995
Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey. Transp. Res. Rec. J. Transp. Res. Board 2000,
1706, 108–117.
2. Green, N.; Tappin, D.; Bentley, T. Working from Home Before, During and After the
Covid-19 Pandemic: Implications for Workers and Organisations. N. Z. J. Employ. Relations
2020, 45, 5–16.
3. Brynjolfsson, E.; Horton, J.; Ozimek, A.; Rock, D.; Sharma, G.; TuYe, H.-Y. Covid-19
and Remote Work: An Early Look at Us; National Bureau of Economic Research: Cambridge,
MA, USA, 2020; pp. 1–25.
4. Bichel, A.; Cepoi, A.; Aboura, E.; Fratiloiu, B. Productivity in the Telework Era—A New
Leadership Perspective. In New Trends in Sustainable Business and Consumption, Proceedings
of the 2021 7th BASIQ International Conference on New Trends in Sustainable Business and
Consumption, Foggia, Italy, 3–5 June 2021; Pamfilie, R., Dinu, V., Tăchiciu, L., Ples, ea, D.,
Vasiliu, C., Eds.; ASE: Bucharest, Romania, 2021; pp. 775–783.
5. Gratton, L., & Truss, C. (2003). The three-dimensional people strategy: Putting human
resources policies into action. Academy of Management Perspectives, 17(3), 74–86.
6. Motowildo, S. J., Borman, W. C., & Schmit, M. J. (1997). A Theory of Individual
Differences in Task and Contextual Performance. Human Performance, 10(2), 71–83.
7. RAMSEY, J. D. (1995). Task performance in heat: a review. Ergonomics, 38(1), 154–
165.
8. Gruys, M. L., & Sackett, P. R. (2003). Investigating the Dimensionality of
Counterproductive Work Behavior. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 11(1),
30–42.
9. Etheridge, B.; Tang, L. Worker Productivity during Lockdown and Working from Home:
Evidence from Self-Reports, ISER Working Paper Series; Institute for Social and Economic
Research: Colchester, UK, 2020; pp. 1–31.
10. Aum, S.; Lee, S.; Shin, Y. Who Should Work from Home during a Pandemic? The
Wage-Infection Trade-Off ; National Bureau of Economic Research: Cambridge, MA, USA,
2020; Volume 104, pp. 1–18.
11. Kazekami, S. Mechanisms to improve labor productivity by performing telework.
Telecommun. Policy 2019, 44, 101868.
12. Choukir, J.; Alqahtani, M.S.; Khalil, E.; Mohamed, E. Effects of Working from Home
on Job Performance: Empirical Evidence in the Saudi Context during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Sustainability 2022,14,3216.
13. Guest, D. E. (2002). Perspectives on the Study of Work-life Balance. Social Science
Information, 41(2), 255–279.
14. Sirgy, M. J., & Lee, D.-J. (2017). Work-Life Balance: an Integrative Review. Applied
Research in Quality of Life, 13(1), 229–254.
 15. Fleetwood, S. (2007). Why work–life balance now? The International Journal of Human
Resource Management, 18(3), 387–400.
APPENDIX
1. Questionnaire
This questionnaire is distributed to all employees working at VIB Hanoi branches. The
survey aims to find out how working from home affects the work performance of VIB
employees in Hanoi branches who are currently working here. The research results will be
synthesized and based on the results of the research paper and make necessary recommendations
to improve the negative aspects of working from home affecting the work of VIB employees.
Information provided by staff will be kept confidential and used for this research purpose only.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Please give your opinion / answer(s) about the question/statement below:

1. Gender: 1Male 2Female
2. Age: …
3. Education: 1 College or below 2 Bachelor 3 Higher than bachelor
4. Job position: 1 Employee 2 Department manager 3 Board of management
5. How long have you been working for this organization?
1 <5 years 2 From 5 to 10 years 3 >10 years

6. Please tell us your level of agreement on the following statements on a scale from 1 to 5
(1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Normal, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree)

Work from home communication

[WFHC1] I communicate well when working from home 1 2 3 4 5

[WFHC2] I often have online meetings 1 2 3 4 5

[WFHC3] I feel more comfortable communicating when working from home than in the 1 2 3 4 5
office
[WFHC4] Relationships with colleagues are better when I work from home 1 2 3 4 5

Work from home technology

[WFHT1] I rarely have technical problems when working from home 1 2 3 4 5

[WFHT2] My work-from-home devices are as secure as those at the office 1 2 3 4 5

[WFHT3] I can handle technical issues while working from home 1 2 3 4 5

Work-life balance
[WLB1] Working from home gives me more opportunities to take care of my 1 2 3 4 5
family
[WLB2] Working from home doesn't affect my married life
1 2 3 4 5

[WLB3]Family relationships are better while I work at home 1 2 3 4 5

[WLB4] I am more inspired when working from home 1 2 3 4 5

[WLB5] Working from home saves me a lot of time for other personal things 1 2 3 4 5
[WLB6] I feel healthy and full of energy while working from home 1 2 3 4 5
[WLB7] I experience less pressure and negative emotions when working 1 2 3 4 5
from home
[WLB8] I still want to continue working from home in the future 1 2 3 4 5

Job Performance
[JP1] The company always gives timely notifications about issues that have 1 2 3 4 5
the potential to directly affect employees.
[JP2] The speed of completing work when working from home is guaranteed 1 2 3 4 5
home.
[JP3] Customers are satisfied with my service during working from. 1 2 3 4 5