The Impact of Remote Work on Employee Engagement, Motivation, and Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63331/upasw/33/12Keywords:
Remote Work, Employee Engagement, Motivation, Organizational Performance, Hybrid Work, Digital Workplace, Work-Life BalanceAbstract
The shift to remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has significantly influenced employee engagement, motivation, and performance. This study examines the impact of remote, hybrid, and office-based work environments within Romanian corporations, analyzing how these settings affect employee commitment and productivity. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through validated survey instruments (Q12, MWMS, and IWPQ) from professionals in Eastern Romania. Findings indicate that while remote work enhances flexibility and work-life balance, it also presents challenges such as reduced social interaction and potential engagement decline over time.
Key organizational factors such as leadership, workplace culture, and communication strategies play a crucial role in maintaining motivation and productivity in remote settings. The study highlights the need for structured remote work policies, virtual team-building initiatives, and a strong digital workplace culture. These insights contribute to the broader discourse on remote work, offering valuable recommendations for organizations seeking to optimize employee well-being and performance. Future research should explore the long-term sustainability of remote work models and their evolving impact on organizational success.
References
Deci, E. L., și R. M. Ryan. Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness. New York: Guilford, 2018.
Evans, R. “Remote Working and Its Effects on Business Relationships.” Manager, 2010, 28–29.
Ferreira, F., G. Vale, J. P. Diniz, și E. Figueiredo. “Evaluating T-wise Testing Strategies in a Community-Wide Dataset of Configurable Software Systems.” Journal of Systems and Software 179 (2021): 110990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2021.110990
Gallup. Gallup Workplace Audit Q12. Washington, DC: Gallup Organization, 1993.
Giovanis, E. “The Relationship Between Flexible Employment Arrangements and Workplace Performance in Great Britain.” International Journal of Manpower 39, nr. 1 (2018): 51–70.
Hansen, S., P. J. Lambert, N. Bloom, S. Davis, R. Sadun, și B. Taska. Remote Work Across Jobs, Companies, and Space. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2023.
Hornung, S., și J. Glaser. “Job Design in a Virtual Work Environment: Potentials for Employee Self-Determination and Organizationally Beneficial Outcomes.” În 2010 2nd IEEE International Conference on Information Management and Engineering, aprilie 2010, 75–79.
Masuda, A. D., C. Holtschlag, și J. M. Nicklin. “Why the Availability of Telecommuting Matters: The Effects of Telecommuting on Engagement via Goal Pursuit.” The Career Development International 22, nr. 2 (2017): 200–219. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-05-2016-0064
Mintz-Binder, R., și P. Allen. “Exploring the Perspectives of Telecommuting Nursing Faculty.” The Journal of Nursing Education 58, nr. 3 (2019): 152–159. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20190221-05
Pullan, P. “Managing People in Virtual Project Organisations.” În Gower Handbook of People in Project Management, 173–180. London: Routledge, 2016.
Schulte, M. “Distance Faculty Experiences: A Personal Perspective of Benefits and Detriments of Telecommuting.” The Journal of Continuing Higher Education 63, nr. 1 (2015): 63–66.
Staples, D. S. “A Study of Remote Workers and Their Differences from Non-Remote Workers.” Journal of Organizational and End User Computing (JOEUC) 13, nr. 2 (2001): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.4018/joeuc.2001040101
Wang, W., L. Albert, și Q. Sun. “Employee Isolation and Telecommuter Organizational Commitment.” Employee Relations 42, nr. 3 (2020): 609–625. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-06-2019-0246
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Anuarul Universitatii "Petre Andrei" din Iasi & POLIS BOOKS Publishing House

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant this journal right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work, with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as an earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).