Impact of COVID-19 on Remote Work Adoption and Employee Productivity in Nigerian Insurance Companies: Post-Pandemic Assessment

This study assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on remote work adoption and its lasting effect on employee productivity in Nigerian insurance companies, with a focus on firms in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. The pandemic fundamentally disrupted traditional work structures and compelled organizations to rapidly deploy remote work arrangements, creating a natural experiment in workforce flexibility that warrants systematic evaluation. A post-pandemic survey design was employed, with data collected from 180 insurance professionals who experienced remote work during the 2020 to 2023 period. The Technology-Organization-Environment Framework and the Work Adjustment Theory form the theoretical basis. Findings indicate that employees who had access to adequate digital infrastructure, secure data platforms, and structured remote work policies maintained productivity levels comparable to pre-pandemic office benchmarks. However, the study reveals that workers with limited home office space, caregiving responsibilities, and weak internet connectivity experienced productivity declines during and after remote periods. Post-pandemic hybrid work arrangements have emerged as the preferred model among respondents, offering a balance between flexibility and collaborative engagement. The research further finds that manager trust in remote employees and the quality of digital supervision tools are significant moderating factors in the productivity equation. Recommendations include formalizing hybrid work policies, investing in digital literacy, and establishing performance metrics suited to flexible work environments. This study enriches the post-COVID HR discourse in Nigeria's financial services sector. Keywords: COVID-19, remote work, employee productivity, insurance companies, Lagos State