Hybrid Work Enablement: A Conservation of Resources Perspective on Flexibility, Logistical Support, and Supervisory Relationships

Drawing from the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this research introduces the construct of Hybrid Work Enablement (HWE), which captures flexibility and logistical support for hybrid work. Study 1 provides preliminary psychometric evidence supporting HWE's two-dimensional structure. Study 2 examines HWE's effects on employee engagement and turnover intentions through a conditional moderated mediation model, with leader-member exchange (LMX) and remote work experience as moderators. Using a two-wave design, data from 318 U.S. hybrid workers collected 3.5 years after the onset of COVID-19 revealed that HWE positively predicted engagement and negatively predicted turnover intentions, with engagement mediating these relationships across both dimensions. Unexpectedly, conditional moderation results ran counter to predictions: LMX strengthened the HWE flexibility → engagement link, but only for employees with more remote work experience. These findings refine COR theory by illustrating how supervisory relationships and remote work history influence employees’ experience of hybrid work.