Empowerment in Place: The Well-Being and Engagement Equation of Hybrid Work Environments

Abstract

In an era where hybrid work arrangements have become increasingly prevalent, businesses must maintain the individual outcomes of work engagement and employee well-being. This research explores work location as a significant factor in employee empowerment and its subsequent effects on well-being and work engagement. By employing self-determination theory, underscoring the importance of fulfilling basic individual needs, this thesis offers a fresh lens through which to examine the empowerment-outcomes relationship within office, hybrid, and remote working contexts. Utilising a quantitative approach, this thesis comprises two distinct studies. Both derive findings from a survey with 1,148 full-time employees from the UK, India, and the U.S. and examine empowerment correlating with well-being and engagement. Well-being was analysed from a flourishing perspective, emphasising positive psychology and overall life satisfaction. The first study investigates a comprehensive view of empowerment on individual outcomes and treats work location (office, hybrid, remote) as a control variable. The second study uses structural equation modelling to elucidate the specific impact of structural empowerment on these relationships, with work location as a moderator. Key findings reveal that well-being significantly enhances empowerment and engagement, particularly highlighting that office-based employees report lower levels of both, illuminating the experiences in India, who report the highest levels. The second analysis identifies a critical link for remote employees: low structural empowerment correlates with diminished work engagement. The theoretical implications of this research extend the understanding of Self-Determination Theory within the context of hybrid work. It underscores the urgency for managers to foster empowerment through strategies tailored to hybrid work, thus enhancing employee well-being and engagement in a world of flexible work. This global research advances the theoretical discourse in organisational behaviour and equips leaders with evidence-based insights to navigate the evolving work landscape. 

Keywords: employee engagement, work well-being, flourishing, empowerment, hybrid work, remote work