Role of Perceived Organizational Support and Social Connectedness in Employee Engagement among Remote and Hybrid Workers

The transition to remote and hybrid work setups has notably altered traditional workplace dynamics, presenting new challenges in maintaining employee engagement in virtual environments. This research examines the role of Perceived Organizational Support (POS) and Social Connectedness (SCS) in work engagement among employees working remotely or in hybrid settings. A quantitative research approach was employed, gathering data from 131 participants (64 males and 67 females, aged 21-50) who had been working remotely or in a hybrid mode as full-time employees for at least six months. Standardized tools were utilized, including the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS), the Social Connectedness Scale–Revised (SCS-R), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The results indicated that POS was a significant predictor of work engagement, highlighting the importance of organizational care, recognition, and support in virtual work environments. In contrast, SCS showed no significant relationship with engagement, suggesting that traditional social connections may have less impact in remote settings. Regression analysis further confirmed the stronger influence of POS over SCS in predicting engagement. These findings suggest that in remote and hybrid work environments, employees may value autonomy, flexibility, and organizational trust more than frequent social interactions as in traditional office settings.