An Investigation of Self-Control and Self-Regulation as Mechanisms Linking Remote Communication to Employee Well-Being during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, organizations had to adapt overnight to remote virtual work. For most employees, one of the fundamental changes, associated with this adaptation is the shift to virtual work and associated remote communication. Whereas before the pandemic this way of communicating was an alternative to face to face communication during the pandemic it has become the preferred if not the only form of work-related communication with supervisors, colleagues, and individuals outside of the organization (i.e., customers, suppliers, etc.). While previous research on virtual work and associated remote communication has predominantly focused on how remote communication affects employees’ productivity its impact on employee well-being has not been explored yet. To support organizations and societies alike in promoting employee well-being during and after the COVID-19 pandemic it is thus necessary to expand our understanding of the impact of different forms of remote communication on employee well-being. Accordingly, the present research addresses this research question by examining the impact of remote communication on employee well-being.