It's an e-work life! An explorative study on the relationships between e-work characteristics and well-being

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health Psychology
• Remote Work Studies
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• The rise of remote e-working necessitates understanding its impact on employee well-being.
• Previous research has explored various facets of remote work, but longitudinal data on its specific characteristics and well-being outcomes in the Italian context is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between remote e-working characteristics and employee well-being in Italy.
• To identify specific factors of e-working that influence emotional exhaustion, social isolation, physical complaints, and career progression.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study design with two data collection points and a 1-month interval.
• A final sample of 223 employees participating in remote e-working.
• Statistical analyses controlling for auto-regressive effects of well-being outcomes.

Main Results:

• Work-life balance during e-working was negatively associated with emotional exhaustion and social isolation.
• Work-life balance and organizational trust positively related to career progression.
• Cognitive weariness during e-working was positively linked to emotional exhaustion, social isolation, and physical complaints.
• Social isolation negatively predicted subsequent career progression.

Conclusions:

• Work-life balance and organizational trust are crucial for positive remote work experiences and career development.
• Addressing cognitive weariness and social isolation is vital for mitigating negative well-being outcomes in remote employees.
• Findings inform organizational strategies to enhance remote employee well-being and productivity.