Work from Afar, Self-Regulate from Within: The Role of Work Regulatory Focus in Managing Remote Job Demands and Resources.

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory to explain burnout and work engagement, it does not fully account for variations in employees’ motivational strategies and self-regulation. To address this gap, and through a Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) lens, the present dissertation examines the moderating role of work regulatory focus in the relationships between job demands and burnout, as well as job resources and work engagement. Given that regulatory focus can be both a stable trait and contextually influenced by workplace conditions (Higgins, 1997; Neubert et al., 2008), this study further explores how remote work rate interacts with work regulatory focus to shape these relationships. As prior research on regulatory focus within the JD-R framework remains limited (Brenninkmeijer et al., 2010), understanding its role in remote work settings is particularly crucial as organizations continue adapting to evolving work environments (Ewers & Kangmennaang, 2023; Goni-Legaz et al., 2024). Findings for three-way interactions between remote work rate and work regulatory foci indicate that higher remote work rate and prevention focus weaken the positive job demands-burnout relationship. In contrast, work promotion focus did not exhibit significant moderation effects. From a practical standpoint, the current disssertation underscores the practical implications of adopting a prevention-focused approach in remote work settings, demonstrating that emphasizing avoidance motivation, such as preventing errors and managing threats, can potentially mitigate job demands' adverse effects on burnout. Ultimately, this study advances theoretical understanding of both JD-R and RFT, and provides actionable recommendations for designing sustainable remote work environments.