Final answer:
Employees working from home using electronic communications and setting their own schedules are telecommuting, which can influence work-family dynamics and has been especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Step-by-step explanation:
When employees are working from home using electronic communications to stay in touch with coworkers and customers, they are engaging in telecommuting. Telecommuting allows employees to work at home and set their own hours. This flexibility can reduce work-family conflict by enabling employees to work during different parts of the day and spend time with their families. However, some research, such as that by Posig & Kickul (2004) and Lapierre & Allen (2006), indicates that while telecommuting offers advantages, it may also intensify work-family conflict, as work demands become more intertwined with the home environment. Nonetheless, in response to circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have revisited telecommuting policies as a way to maintain business operations while also protecting employees' health.