E&M

The rise of hybrid work makes it necessary to understand not only how much work is done remotely, but also how working remotely is associated with satisfaction and engagement. To explore these questions, we conducted a study in 2023 on 2,141 employees of a large Italian service company, analyzing the roles of remote-work frequency, fatigue, autonomy, interdependence, and the quality of relationships with colleagues and supervisors. Our results show that the frequency of remote work is not significantly associated with satisfaction but is associated with lower engagement. In addition, fatigue reduces both outcomes, while high-quality social relationships with one's supervisor mitigate these negative effects. Work design must therefore integrate distance, job characteristics, and the strength of organizational ties.