The moderating role of organizational support for an effective smart working

This study aims to shed light on the ambiguous effects of smart working (SW) on organisation performance. On one hand, SW offers increased work flexibility, enhancing individual job satisfaction and ultimately leading to better employee performance. On the other hand, it may require change efforts that are potentially diminishing the organisation performance. Therefore, the impact of SW on organisation performance is explored through the moderating role of organisational support. To accomplish this, a theoretical framework was developed, drawing from existing literature, to explain the influence of SW on organisational performance. A survey was then designed and administered to empirically test the framework. The study conducted a partial least square structural equation modelling analysis on a sample of 1,648 employees that experienced SW in the post-pandemic. Results provided support for the hypotheses. Furthermore, the results indicate that the organisational support moderates the negative impact of change efforts associated with SW on organisation performance. Overall, this study provides an enhanced understanding of the performance implications of SW and offers HRD professionals valuable managerial insights on effectively implementing SW practices.