IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i19p8677-d1759127.html

Evaluating the Impact of Remote Work on Employee Health and Sustainable Lifestyles in the IT Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Ranka Popovac

    (Philip Morris International, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Dragan Vukmirović

    (Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Tijana Čomić

    (The Faculty of Organizational Studies “Eduka” in Belgrade, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Zoran G. Pavlović

    (Departments School of Railroad Transport, Academy of Technical and Art Applied Studies ATAAS, 11020 Belgrade, Serbia)

Abstract

This study comprehensively evaluates the impact of remote work intensity on employee well-being, productivity, and sustainable practices within the IT sector, utilizing a cross-sectional online survey of 1003 employees. Findings reveal that remote work consistently boosts self-rated health, enhances perceived productivity, and promotes the adoption of sustainable workplace practices, with these benefits largely consistent across gender and most age groups. However, its effect on perceived stress is complex and significantly age-dependent, showing increased stress for younger employees (under 25) while mid-career professionals (26–35) experience stress reduction. Perceived stress did not emerge as a statistically significant mediator in the remote work-productivity relationship, suggesting that positive effects on productivity are primarily driven by direct mechanisms such as increased autonomy and flexibility. This research contributes to the Job Demands-Resources and Self-Determination Theory by illuminating how digital work demands and psychological needs are experienced heterogeneously across demographics in the remote context. Practical implications emphasize the need for differentiated stress management strategies tailored to younger employees, as well as a broader promotion of remote work, to enhance sustainable behavior within organizations. Methodologically, the study highlights the value of utilizing large, non-probability datasets, along with carefully constructed proxy scales, and proposes the future integration of AI-powered analytics for deeper insights.

Suggested Citation

  • Ranka Popovac & Dragan Vukmirović & Tijana Čomić & Zoran G. Pavlović, 2025. "Evaluating the Impact of Remote Work on Employee Health and Sustainable Lifestyles in the IT Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8677-:d:1759127
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8677/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8677/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marc Fadel & Julie Bodin & Florence Cros & Alexis Descatha & Yves Roquelaure, 2023. "Teleworking and Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-19, March.
    2. Gergely Ráthonyi & Karolina Kósa & Zoltán Bács & Kinga Ráthonyi-Ódor & István Füzesi & Péter Lengyel & Éva Bácsné Bába, 2021. "Changes in Workers’ Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-25, August.
    3. Milos Loncar & Jovanka Vukmirovic & Aleksandra Vukmirovic & Dragan Vukmirovic & Ratko Lasica, 2025. "Navigating Hybrid Work: An Optimal Office–Remote Mix and the Manager–Employee Perception Gap in IT," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-23, July.
    4. Andrew Hook & Victor Court & Benjamin K Sovacool & Steven Sorrell, 2020. "A Systematic Review of the Energy and Climate Impacts of Teleworking," Working Papers hal-03192905, HAL.
    5. Alexander Scholze & Achim Hecker, 2023. "Digital Job Demands and Resources: Digitization in the Context of the Job Demands-Resources Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-17, August.
    6. Monica Molino & Emanuela Ingusci & Fulvio Signore & Amelia Manuti & Maria Luisa Giancaspro & Vincenzo Russo & Margherita Zito & Claudio G. Cortese, 2020. "Wellbeing Costs of Technology Use during Covid-19 Remote Working: An Investigation Using the Italian Translation of the Technostress Creators Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Balsmeier, Benjamin & Woerter, Martin, 2019. "Is this time different? How digitalization influences job creation and destruction," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(8), pages 1-1.
    8. Anne-Sophie Maillot & Thierry Meyer & Sophie Prunier-Poulmaire & Emilie Vayre, 2022. "A Qualitative and Longitudinal Study on the Impact of Telework in Times of COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    9. Emanuela Ingusci & Fulvio Signore & Claudio Giovanni Cortese & Monica Molino & Paola Pasca & Enrico Ciavolino, 2023. "Development and validation of the Remote Working Benefits & Disadvantages scale," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1159-1183, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zofia Grodek-Szostak & Marcin Suder & Aneta Piechaczek & Luis Ochoa Siguencia, 2021. "Assessment and Comparison of Digital Competences in Education for Selected European Countries," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 1), pages 348-361.
    2. Gao, Jie & Li, Zhizhuo & Nguyen, Thithuha & Zhang, Wentao, 2025. "Digital transformation and enterprise employment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    3. Li, Fei & Zhang, Nana, 2025. "Digital transformation, innovation investment and quality," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    4. Montobbio, Fabio & Staccioli, Jacopo & Virgillito, Maria Enrica & Vivarelli, Marco, 2022. "Robots and the origin of their labour-saving impact," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    5. Zhou, Yuwen & Shi, Xin, 2025. "How does digital technology adoption affect corporate employment? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    6. Liviu Andrei Toader & Dorel Mihai Paraschiv & Florentina Chițu, 2023. "The Effects of Individuals’ Levels of Computer Skills on the ICT Sector Employment in the European Union during the COVID-19 Pandemics," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 26(85), pages 67-77, June.
    7. Éva Bácsné Bába & Anetta Müller & Christa Pfau & Renátó Balogh & Éva Bartha & György Szabados & Zoltán Bács & Kinga Ráthonyi-Ódor & Gergely Ráthonyi, 2023. "Sedentary Behavior Patterns of the Hungarian Adult Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-15, February.
    8. Garcia-Macia, Daniel & Korosteleva, Julia, 2025. "Tracing productivity growth channels in the UK," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(1).
    9. Leonel Prieto & Md Farid Talukder, 2023. "Resilient Agility: A Necessary Condition for Employee and Organizational Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-24, January.
    10. Ivan Faiella & Luciano Lavecchia, 2021. "Households' energy demand and the effects of carbon pricing in Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 614, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    11. Burleyson, Casey D. & Rahman, Aowabin & Rice, Jennie S. & Smith, Amanda D. & Voisin, Nathalie, 2021. "Multiscale effects masked the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on electricity demand in the United States," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    12. André Spithoven & Bruno Merlevede, 2025. "The socio-economic consequences of remote working: evidence from the European administrations in Brussels," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 74(1), pages 1-23, March.
    13. Beier, Grischa & Matthess, Marcel & Shuttleworth, Luke & Guan, Ting & de Oliveira Pereira Grudzien, David Iubel & Xue, Bing & Pinheiro de Lima, Edson & Chen, Ling, 2022. "Implications of Industry 4.0 on industrial employment: A comparative survey from Brazilian, Chinese, and German practitioners," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    14. Chun, Hyunbae & Shin, Donghan, 2025. "Beyond automation: The multifaceted impact of advanced digital technologies on employment dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(10).
    15. Amelia Manuti & Maria Luisa Giancaspro & Monica Molino & Emanuela Ingusci & Vincenzo Russo & Fulvio Signore & Margherita Zito & Claudio Giovanni Cortese, 2020. "“Everything Will Be Fine”: A Study on the Relationship between Employees’ Perception of Sustainable HRM Practices and Positive Organizational Behavior during COVID19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-17, December.
    16. Ying Wu & Yuanyue Deng, 2024. "Does digital transformation crowd out the employment of lower skill labor?," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(3), pages 726-748, July.
    17. Paweł Ziemba & Mateusz Piwowarski & Kesra Nermend, 2023. "Remote Work in Post-Pandemic Reality—Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Teleconferencing Software," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    18. Owan, Valentine Joseph & Agurokpon, Daniel Clement & Udida, Joseph Udida, 2022. "Curriculum Restructuring and Job Creation Among Nigerian Graduates: The Mediating Role of Emerging Internet Applications," EdArXiv nymrf, Center for Open Science.
    19. Inna S. Lola & Anton Manukov, 2020. "Forecasting Employment In Small Businesses In Russia: The Relevance Of Business Tendency Surveys," HSE Working papers WP BRP 113/STI/2020, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    20. Richiardi, Matteo & Westhoff, Leonie & Astarita, Caterina & Ernst, Ekkehard & Fenwick, Clare & Khabirpour, Neysan & Pelizzari, Lorenzo, 2024. "The impact of a decade of digital transformation on employment, wages, and inequality in the EU: a “conveyor belt†hypothesis," Centre for Microsimulation and Policy Analysis Working Paper Series CEMPA5/24, Centre for Microsimulation and Policy Analysis at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8677-:d:1759127. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.