The future of work: work engagement and job performance in the hybrid workplace

Abstract

Purpose Drawing on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the authors examine how working in the hybrid workplace model (telework and flexible work) affects job performance via the intervening role of work engagement. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted a quantitative approach and collected data from 277 employees working in universities in Nigeria. Partial least square structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data and test the hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal that flexible work, not telework, has a significant and positive effect on job performance. It also emerges that flexible work positively affects work engagement, and work engagement significantly mediates the relationship between flexible work and job performance. However, the findings do not support the effect of telework on work engagement and the mediating role of work engagement in the proposed relation between telework and job performance. Originality/value The paper provides fresh insights by linking the components of the hybrid workplace model with job performance and employee work engagement and extending the JD-R model to the hybrid workplace setting. The practitioners can benefit from the findings of this study by factoring in the importance of the hybrid workplace model in designing policies and procedures to promote job performance.

Working and learning in a hybrid workplace: challenges and opportunities

“…These results can be compared with the findings of Naqshbandi et al (2024), who investigated the effects of the telework on the work performance of college employees in Nigeria. They found no positive effects of telecommuting on employee productivity.…”

“…-Saving on fuel costs; and -Saving on living costs. Naqshbandi et al (2024) studied the effects of teleworking on the work performance of college employees in Nigeria and also found that flexible working arrangements allow for greater time autonomy and promote work performance. Some employees perform better in the morning, while others prefer later working hours.…”

“…The study revealed several positive aspects of virtual/hybrid working for employees, but also disadvantages for employees and challenges for the organization, with a focus on team learning. Naqshbandi, Kabir, Ishak, & Islam (2024) studied the effects of teleworking on the work performance of college employees in Nigeria, while Suravi (2024) explored the possibilities for training and development in the hybrid workplace. Saini & Baba (2024) analyzed blended learning as technology-mediated teaching that combines face-to-face teaching and digital learning opportunities, with a focus on the role of multimedia.…”

How Is Job Performance Affected by Ergonomics in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry? Mediating Roles of Work Engagement and Talent Retention

“…This relationship goes beyond physical comfort and encompasses psychological and cognitive aspects that profoundly influence how employees carry out their tasks and contribute to the organization's objectives [16]. Job performance is no longer viewed as a standalone measure but rather as a complex outcome influenced by multiple factors, including work engagement and talent retention [17,18]. Work engagement plays a vital role in connecting ergonomics with job performance.…”

Hybrid Work in International Business: Challenges and Opportunities in light of Dual Factor Theory

“…Hybrid work has become a feature of the era after Covid-19 (Nenonen & Sankari, 2022;Aoyama & Silva, 2023;Oygür et al, 2022;Petani & Mengis, 2021;Surma et al, 2021;Hopkins & Bardoel, 2023;Borg & O'Sullivan, 2021). For instance, according to a McKinsey survey conducted in early 2021, it stated that in a post-pandemic world, 20% to 25% of workers in industrialized nations could work remotely (Hirsch, 2021;Naqshbandi et al, 2023). There seems to be a subset of employees that are not prepared to resume their regular pre-pandemic employment (Wang et al, 2023;John et al, 2023).…”