THE IMPACT OF REMOTE WORK ARRANGEMENTS ON WORK ENGAGEMENT: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF JOB AUTONOMY

Abstract

With the advancement of digitalization and the impact of the post-pandemic era, remote work has gradually become a normalized human resource management strategy in organizations. Previous studies have indicated that remote work enhances employees’ job satisfaction and flexibility; however, limited attention has been paid to the underlying psychological mechanisms through which it influences employees’ work engagement. Therefore, drawing upon Self-Determination Theory, this study integrates relevant perspectives to examine the process through which remote work affects employees’ work engagement. This study targeted full-time employees with experience in remote or hybrid work arrangements. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed for analysis, yielding 117 valid responses. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the mediating role of job autonomy in the relationship between remote work and work engagement, thereby clarifying whether remote work indirectly enhances work engagement by increasing employees’ autonomy. The results indicate that the direct effect of remote work on work engagement is not statistically significant. However, remote work significantly enhances work engagement indirectly through job autonomy, suggesting that job autonomy serves as a critical mediating mechanism. Through theoretical integration and empirical analysis, this study clarifies the underlying mechanism linking remote work and work engagement and extends the application of Self-Determination Theory in the context of emerging work arrangements. The findings also provide practical implications for organizations in designing and implementing remote work policies.