Working with technology: opportunities and risks

The present study aims to integrate the Challenge-Hindrance Stressors Model with Job Demands- Resources theory by examining how distinct techno-related demands (i.e., techno-challenge and techno-hindrance demands) differently affect remote workers’ well-being (i.e., work engagement and exhaustion) and proactive vitality management. Specifically, we hypothesized that daily technochallenge demands would enhance daily proactive vitality management by fostering daily work engagement, whereas daily techno-hindrance demands would decrease daily proactive vitality management through daily exhaustion. Moreover, we predicted that daily techno-challenge demands would also increase daily exhaustion. We collected our data on a sample of 99 remote workers (55.4% males and 44.6% females) who completed an online questionnaire for ten consecutive workdays (N=779 data points). Results from multilevel analyses mostly supported our hypotheses. These findings highlight how daily techno-related demands affect well-being and proactive vitality management through energy-depleting and motivational processes. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions are discussed. The widespread adoption of remote work has highlighted the need to identify a broad range of skills required to adapt effectively to new working arrangements and manage their challenges. The present study aims to adapt and validate a domain-specific work self-efficacy scale for assessing different facets of self-efficacy in the context of remote work: the Multidimensional E-work Self-Efficacy scale. To this end, we conducted two independent studies on different samples of remote workers. In Study 1 (n = 1050), we explored the dimensionality of the scale through the Exploratory Factor Analysis and its reliability. In Study 2 (n = 3088), we attested the factorial structure of the scale through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis, confirming a six-factor structure (structure (i.e., e-skill selfefficacy, techno self-efficacy, self-care self-efficacy, trust-building self-efficacy, remote social selfefficacy and remote emotional self-efficacy). Then, we explored measurement invariance across genders as well as its concurrent validity with techno-stressors (i.e., techno-invasion and technooverload), individual attitudes (i.e., attitude towards remote working and intention to keep working remotely) and well-being outcomes (i.e., exhaustion and work engagement from working remotely). Overall, the Multidimensional E-work Self-Efficacy scale represents a valid and reliable measure for assessing self-efficacy in the remote work context. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. The shift to hybrid work asks for a deeper understanding of the personal resources that enhance employee adaptation and performance, particularly in remote settings. This study, grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, examines the impact of e-skill self-efficacy (i.e., employees' confidence in managing remote work tasks, time, and balancing job demands with personal life) on perceptions of techno-invasion (i.e., the perception that work interferes with personal life due to technology) and techno-overload (i.e., the perception of working faster and longer due to technology) and in turn on overall and remote work performance. The study involved 899 hybrid workers from the same organization, each following a 50/50 remote and in-office schedule. Data was collected at two time points, three months apart. The results of cross-lagged models revealed that higher e-skill selfefficacy was negatively related to perceptions of techno-invasion and techno-overload. Technoinvasion was negatively associated with self-reported remote work performance, while technooverload had a positive association. Moreover, techno-invasion mediated the relationship between eskill self-efficacy and remote work performance, such that remote workers with high self-efficacy were less likely to experience techno-invasion, enabling them to maintain better remote performance. Neither techno-stressors significantly impacted overall performance. The findings provide valuable insights for organizations aiming to enhance employee performance in increasingly digital and flexible work environments.