Jian Shi

Hybrid work, especially in the split-week model, has become the “new normal” of working arrangements since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering its dramatic increase and use, it is important to understand how it impacts employees’ psychological experiences and work outcomes. While many studies have focused on the benefits, the present research identifies important barriers to remote and hybrid work. In particular, employees on remote working days will feel the loss of identification and isolation within the team, compared to in-office days. These feelings, in turn, lead employees to engage less in and withdraw more from their work and decrease their effort to help others and generate creative ideas for their work. In addition, we examine whether identity leadership buffers the negative impact of daily remote work on employees’ psychological and behavioral outcomes. To test the hypotheses, we conducted a daily diary study among 112 hybrid workers in the U.K. to sample their daily remote work experiences over five consecutive workdays. Results largely supported our predictions. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings, thereby promoting a more flexible and dynamic hybrid work.