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Analysing the impact of remote work on performance outcomes in South Africa's engineering Industry
Author(s)
Bouwer, Shaune Deon
Date Issued
2026
Type
master thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Design engineers are a scarce resource in South Africa, and losing top engineering talent can not only be a costly setback for an organisation, but they also lose that critical talent to competing organisations, impacting their ability to stay relevant in the market. With higher mobility options within South Africa and abroad, talent retention is of great concern to engineering managers. This research study will investigate critical factors impacting engineers' performance in a work from home (WFH) setting and develop a framework for effectively managing the performance of these engineers. The challenge faced by many engineering organisations may have started with the sudden emergence of remote work because of COVID-19. This pandemic reshaped the way of working to the point where WFH was being referred to as "the new normal". In other cases, organisations attempted a WFH model but failed to implement it successfully. Many organisations have abandoned their WFH policy, summoning employees back to the office, with performance being one of the reasons given for doing so. The engineering sector is not unscathed, and results from LinkedIn show that an overwhelming number of engineers are required to be in the office full time. The challenge with not having a flexible working model for top, scarce talent is that it may push those engineers to other organisations which offer a WFH option that can contribute to engineers' satisfaction and work-life balance. The research starts with a definition of what a design engineer does, and which of these tasks can be performed in a WFH environment. It is then followed by a review of well-known performance management models to identify key factors that need to be further researched in the literature review. The models identified communication, employee satisfaction, skills, training and development, organisational culture and others that were thoroughly researched in the literature review. A qualitative approach was employed seeking to gain insights through semi-structured interviews with five engineering managers with extensive experience in the engineering industry, including managing remotely working engineers in South Africa. The respondents provided information on what tasks design engineers perform daily, and agreed that most of those tasks can be done remotely. The key factors from the literature review were discussed and insights were given by the respondents. There was strong correlation in the responses identifying the factors that have the greatest effect on design engineer’s performance in a WFH setting. Those were communication, employee satisfaction, organisational culture, and skills, training and development. Other insights included the fact that engineering managers do not believe that there need to be different performance management metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) for remote or office working engineers. They did however identify that the KPIs and performance management methods need to be improved. Additionally, training, skills and development were strongly linked to junior engineers and their ability to WFH. The respondents all stated that junior engineers need more in-person oversight, and need to be in the office to be exposed to senior engineers to promote knowledge transfer. Drawing upon the findings, a practical framework was developed to address the identified gaps and optimise performance management strategies for remote working engineers in South Africa. This included a strong focus on cultivating the desired organisational culture, an employee satisfaction and talent-retention strategy. Those strategies need to be implemented via three actions: firstly, offering training to both engineers and managers to improve communication and use available tools and software platforms effectively. Secondly, developing a deeper hierarchical structure that promotes clear training and development goals for engineers to be promoted to the next level, and supports the rotation of senior engineers to provide more exposure for junior engineers, thus accelerating knowledge transfer. Lastly, an adequate and flexible performance management system with relevant KPIs needs to be developed that aligns with the project’s goals at that phase. The outcomes of those strategies can be measured, and using a communication feedback mechanism, the strategies can be reevaluated and amended if need be. The proposed research does not only contribute to theoretical literature but also provides practical guidance for managers and organisations seeking to navigate the complexities of remote work in the engineering sector and to remain competitive in the industry, if not to become employers of choice. All ethical clearances were obtained, and the research was conducted in an ethical manner, keeping all respondents in the interviews anonymous.
Additional information
Thesis (MEng (Engineering Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2026
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Bouwer, S_241411351 (4).pdf
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