Work from home and employee well-being: a double-edged sword

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Human Resource Management
• Remote Work Studies

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work, presenting both opportunities for flexibility and challenges like work-life boundary issues and social isolation.
• Understanding the complex effects of working from home on employee well-being is crucial for developing effective organizational strategies.
• Remote work's impact on well-being necessitates research to help employees balance work and personal life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the multifaceted effects of working from home on employee well-being.
• To examine the mediating roles of family-work conflict and job engagement.
• To explore the moderating influence of work-family balance self-efficacy on the relationship between working from home and family-work conflict.

Main Methods:

• The study employed a moderated dual-mediation model based on the Job Demands-Resources model.
• Data were gathered through an anonymous online survey.
• A total of 343 valid responses were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Working from home did not show a statistically significant direct effect on employee well-being.
• Working from home was found to exacerbate family-work conflict, negatively impacting well-being.
• Conversely, working from home enhanced job engagement, positively influencing well-being.
• Work-family balance self-efficacy moderated the negative impact of working from home on family-work conflict.

Conclusions:

• The findings advance the understanding of remote employee management and positive organizational behavior in the digital age.
• Organizations can leverage these insights to optimize remote work policies and human resource management practices.
• Supporting employees' work-family balance self-efficacy is key to mitigating negative well-being outcomes associated with remote work.