Phd in SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH

Thesis title: Work(dis)place: the role of the changing work environment in the context of remote work

The global shift towards remote work, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, prompts an urgent need to understand the implications of this transition on occupational well-being. Despite a growing scientific literature on remote work, conflicting outcomes lead to the "paradox of mutually incompatible consequences" for remote employees. One of the main consequences of this form of work organization is the overlap between the domestic environment and the work environment, raising concerns about the suitability of home environments for professional tasks, impacting well-being, engagement, and productivity. This dissertation aims to address two overarching questions: firstly, how does the merging of domestic and work environments alter the emotional attachment that individuals, specifically workers, form with their surroundings? Secondly, in the context of remote work, how do the physical attributes of the home workspace contribute to fulfilling fundamental needs and promoting occupational well-being? Through Studies 1 and 2, the first set of indicators for assessing perceived environmental comfort in the context of remote work, named Perceived Remote Working Environment Quality Indicators (PRWEQIs), is developed. Applying the theoretical lens of Self-Determination Theory, Studies 3a (correlational) and 3b (experimental) confirm that, by satisfying place-related needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, environmental comfort can influence remote workplace attachment. Finally, Study 4 demonstrates that, by fulfilling work-related needs for autonomy and competence, remote workplace attachment contributes to enhanced work engagement, thereby improving the remote work experience. The thesis provides empirical contributions regarding the antecedents and consequences of place attachment, specifically examining the impact of the remote work environment on workers' well-being.