Development and validation of the Remote Working Benefits & Disadvantages scale

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Human Resources Management
• Digital Transformation

Background:

• The labor sector is undergoing digital transformation, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased remote working.
• Existing literature lacks a single, flexible instrument to measure the multifaceted benefits and drawbacks of remote work.
• A systematic understanding of remote working's positive and negative consequences is crucial for organizations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a psychometrically robust scale for measuring remote working benefits and disadvantages (RW-B&D scale).
• To provide a quantitative instrument for assessing the empirical impact of remote work arrangements.

Main Methods:

• Conducted three stages of factor analysis (Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis) with a total of 1282 Italian employees.
• Utilized bootstrap validation, fit indices testing, and measurement of factorial invariance to assess psychometric properties.
• Tested measurement invariance across gender and organizational sectors.

Main Results:

• The developed RW-B&D scale demonstrated a bifactorial structure with good fit indices, reliability, and validity.
• Bootstrap validation confirmed statistically significant factor loadings and robust psychometric properties.
• The scale exhibited measurement invariance for gender and organizational sector.

Conclusions:

• The novel RW-B&D scale offers a streamlined and psychometrically sound instrument for quantifying remote working benefits and disadvantages.
• This scale can aid organizations in identifying potential remote work challenges and leveraging positive aspects to enhance organizational well-being.
• The validated scale contributes a much-needed tool for empirical research and practical application in the evolving landscape of work.