Five mechanisms linking remote work, social support, and workers’ well-being: a systematic review

Abstract Background Today, remote work is a widespread mode of work organization for millions of workers worldwide, raising new questions about its implications for workers’ well-being and quality of life. Although research in this field has expanded rapidly, existing findings remain fragmented. This systematic review aims to synthesize how remote work is associated with different forms of social support among colleagues and family members, and how these processes are associated with workers’ well-being. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed articles published in English before June 2024 in Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest. After a double-screening procedure, 32 studies linking remote work, social support, and well-being were retained, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods designs. We conducted a Qualitative Content Analysis of the main findings of these studies to identify recurring mechanisms describing how remote work, social support, and well-being are related in the existing literature. Results Five mechanisms were identified: (1) Disruption captures the difficulties associated with the abrupt transition to remote work during the pandemic and the stress related to the reconfiguration of daily routines and workplace interactions; (2) Bridging refers to the capacity of remote work to foster new ties with geographically distant colleagues, expanding access to new forms of support; (3) Ambivalence reflects the dual nature of social support, whereby excessive presence or assistance from supervisors may be experienced as surveillance or control. (4) Dormancy highlights how reduced face-to-face interaction may influence the transmission of social support and workplace conflict (5) Transfer shows how many interactions formerly located in the office are displaced into the domestic sphere, creating opportunities for new forms of family support but also generating new tensions and negotiations over roles, responsibilities, and time. Conclusions Empirical evidence on the association between remote work, social support, and well-being remains heterogeneous. Nevertheless, this review identifies five mechanisms that provide a conceptual framework for understanding the diverse ways in which remote work is associated with social interactions, social support, workplace and household conflict, and workers' well-being. Trial registration PROSPERO: CRD42024554590