The COVID-19 pandemic has radically transformed the world of work, forcing many companies to adopt remote working on a large scale. This sudden change has raised a crucial question: how can organizations effectively support their employees in this new work environment?

A recent study conducted by Ludovico Bullini Orlandi of the University of Bologna, Eleonora Veglianti of Kedge Business School, Alessandro Zardini of the University of Pavia, and Cecilia Rossignoli of the University of Verona explored this issue, analyzing the role of work resources provided by organizations, in reducing stress and increasing self-efficacy of remote workers.

Remote working, while offering flexibility, brings new challenges such as social isolation and the need to manage time and goals independently. To understand the impact of these characteristics on employee well-being, the researchers used the Job Demands-Resources Model, or JD-R, developed by Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner and Schaufeli.

The study involved 471 remote workers in Europe during the lockdown period for COVID-19, between March 2020 and May 2021. The sample was 47.8 percent female, with 23.6 percent of participants in middle or upper management roles. The average age was 37.1 years, with an average work experience of 8.4 years.

The findings confirmed that organizational variables, such as participatory leadership and clarity of goals, have a significant impact on remote workers’ self-efficacy and stress reduction; specifically:

1. Participatory leadership: involving workers in decision making increases their self-efficacy, reducing perceived stress.
2. Clarity of goals: further enhances self-efficacy, acting as a mediator between participatory leadership and stress.
3. Adequacy of resources: the availability of adequate resources amplifies the positive effect of self-efficacy on stress reduction.

Based on these findings, the study offers some practical recommendations for organizations:

1. Providing workers with the necessary resources and appropriate technological support to effectively perform their tasks remotely.
2. Promoting an organizational culture that values trust and autonomy, empowering employees.
3. Clearly defining job expectations and goals to be achieved to reduce the ambiguity often associated with remote work.

It is important to note that the study has some limitations. The reliance on self-reported data could affect the validity of the results, and the sample analyzed may not be fully representative of the entire population of remote workers. Future research could use more representative samples and further investigate the role of work resources in remote work settings.

In conclusion, this research highlights the importance for organizations to prioritize the well-being of their workers by understanding the impact of organizational variables on self-efficacy in remote work. By improving the productivity and self-efficacy of remote workers, organizations can at the same time promote a more positive and healthy work environment, successfully addressing the challenges of remote work.