Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
7. INTERNATIONAL PALANDÖKENSCIENTIFIC STUDIES CONGRESS, Erzurum, Türkiye, 2 - 03 Aralık 2023, cilt.1, ss.188-199, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
Globally, 2020 has been a year of unprecedented changes in working life and many new practices being
implemented. After the coronavirus epidemic was described as a global epidemic, the whole world took steps to
take strict measures in every field and to develop different models in working life.
In the COVID-19 environment, a large part of the workforce has faced different scenarios such as staying at
home, continuing to work remotely, taking a break completely or losing their job. While this situation does not
pose a problem for businesses or institutions that are suitable for remote working or are familiar with this
situation, it has been an extremely different and new experience for businesses that have not tried this process
before, creating the conditions for the most comprehensive work experience in history by sending their
employees home.
Changing the way businesses work and offering their employees the option of working from home, hybrid
working or closing has created a big problem for all countries. A very difficult process has been experienced for
areas that are not closed but have to work in shorter times and with limited workforce. Working conditions have
created an additional burden on employees in the pandemic environment, and the fact that they have to work
without creating the necessary health, safety and ergonomic conditions has brought more risks.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of people to work from home, many have been forced to work
on laptops and cell phones in makeshift workstations, often at kitchen tables or sofas. At this point, while
working remotely can help protect employees against COVID-19, it has had unexpected consequences. On the
other hand, the situation of people working in the manufacturing, transportation, catering, cleaning, retail and
personal care sectors who cannot work remotely is another issue that needs to be addressed and improved.
In this context, using an exploratory framework and a SWOT analysis, this study examines employees' lived
and ongoing experiences in Turkey. At the same time, it has been critically investigated whether the changes
and regulations in business models experienced during the pandemic process will remain as a temporary
element that responds to exceptional situations or whether they will be a permanent regulation. At this point,
some suggestions have been developed for future policy decisions and ergonomic design of working conditions.