Navigating Career Paths in a Remote World: The Influence of Work from Home on Employee Advancement and Organizational Support

This study investigates the impact of Work from Home (WFH) on career advancement among IT professionals, emphasizing intermediary aspects that affect progression in Work from Home environments. As WFH gains prominence, it is crucial to comprehend its influence on fundamental career facilitators, including Social Capital, Organizational Support, Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Quality, Work Visibility, Work-Life Balance, and Technology Proficiency. This study employs a quantitative survey of 612 remote IT professionals in Karnataka, India, to evaluate how these characteristics moderate the association between remote management and career advancement. Findings demonstrate that WFH exerts both beneficial and detrimental impacts on career-enabling characteristics. WFH enhances work-life equilibrium and technological competence, enabling employees to flexibly manage duties and develop digital skills vital for contemporary positions. Nonetheless, WFH diminishes social capital, LMX quality, and job visibility, which may impede career progression due to diminished informal networking, restricted supervisor engagement, and decreased organizational acknowledgment. These findings underscore the necessity for focused organizational measures to facilitate career advancement in remote environments. Organizations ought to create virtual mentorship initiatives, tools that enhance visibility, and structured feedback systems to tackle the distinct issues faced by remote employees and optimize their career potential. This research enhances the current literature by pinpointing practical strategies that promote career advancement in Work from Home settings, providing significant insights for both scholars and companies adjusting to the changing workplace dynamics.