Understanding the effects of various types of work modalities on employee change experiences

Purpose Using the resource-drain perspective, this study has examined and compared the effects of work modalities, i.e., work from office, work from home, and hybrid work modalities, on various change experiences, including employees' work and family conflict, work engagement, job satisfaction, and job stress. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data were collected from 179 managerial-level employees from companies practicing different work settings to understand their change experiences while working in various work settings. T-tests, ANOVA, and ANCOVA were used to statistically analyze the proposed relationships. Findings Results suggested a relatively positive role of work-from-office modality on work and family outcomes in comparison to hybrid and work-from-home settings. In addition, work-from-office mode was found to have a positive impact on employees' work engagement and job satisfaction. Furthermore, the work-from-home modality was more likely to induce job stress among employees. Originality/value Recent literature has examined the role of either work-from-home or hybrid work settings on post-COVID-19 employees' work outcomes. However, the current study uses an in-depth psychological perspective, that is, resource drain theory, to offer a holistic comparison of the relative effects of various modalities on work-related and non-work change experiences of employees, such as work and family conflict, work engagement, job stress, and job satisfaction.