Remote work and human resources challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic scenario: the cases of Italy and Portugal

This study presents the preliminary results of a European project (EURECA) being carried out in Italy and Portugal. One of its aims is to understand the role of remote work arising from the recent pandemic. The question that drove this research was: What is the role of remote work resulting from the emergent changes of the 2019 pandemic scenario in Portuguese and Italian organisations?. Case studies were used as the methodological approach, and the qualitative and inductive work directed the research, guided by the assumptions of practice-based theory. Thus, interviews were conducted with human resource managers and/or directors of companies/public institutions. So far, the sample comprises 16 organisations. The results show that before the crisis, which lasted about two years, most organisations did not engage in remote work. Afterwards, human resources practices had to adapt to this new reality, and hybrid work (a combination of remote and face-to-face work) is currently present in most of the organisations studied. New challenges are also appearing in this area, including new information systems, career management, and training and performance evaluation, among others. Hence, this new model of work design also brings new challenges to organisations and management. The implications pressing issue are several: practical (for management and organisations); theoretical (new inputs on HR practices, remote working and change management); and methodological (reinforcing the importance of case studies and practice-based theory in a comparative analysis of the Portuguese and Italian contexts). Avenues for further research are also proposed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Objective and subjective career success: individual, structural, and behavioral determinants on European hybrid workers

IntroductionIn the current worldwide labor context, where a disruption took place and employees experience.MethodsParticipated in this study 739 European hybrid workers who fulfilled an online assessment protocol.ResultsResults indicate that higher ages, higher educational levels, being married, having children, working.DiscussionThis study makes a unique contribution to the extant research on hybrid workers’ careers, specifically

Strategic career behaviours among european remote workers : a general analysis and comparison based on country-level individualism vs collectivism

This study investigates the antecedents and consequences of strategic career management behaviours in a sample of European remote workers, with particular attention paid to country-level differences when controlling for Hofstede’s Individualism/Collectivism. A total of 739 employees (Male = 442, 59.8%), with a mean age of 27.64 years (SD = 8.48; Range = [18, 70]), working mostly full-time (n = 398, 53.9%) and with 46.35% of their work being done remotely. The study tested perceived selfefficacy, desire for career control and perceived organizational support as predictors of strategic career behaviours. And tested strategic career behaviours as predictors of perceived career control, objective and subjective career success, and career satisfaction. The study also investigated whether significant differences exist in the above factors when grouping by residence country’s score on Hofstede’s Individualism scale (Low[<50] = 286, 38.7%; Range = [27, 89]). Results indicate objective career success was not related to the antecedent variables or strategic career behaviours and hence was removed from the model. Linear regression analysis showed mostly significant and positive relationships between factors in the model. Mediation analysis showed mix results. Generally, perceived self-efficacy and desire for career control are good predictors of the use of strategic career behaviours, but perceived organizational support is not; strategic career behaviours are reasonable predictors of perceived control, and very strong predictors of subjective career success and career satisfaction. Differences in these outcomes between the low/high individualism groups were minimal. These results will support career management programs, accounting for idiosyncrasies of remote working and cultural differences that may affect the impact remote work has on career management.Este estudo analisa os antecedentes e consequentes dos comportamentos de gestão estratégica de carreira numa amostra de trabalhadores remotos europeus, com especial atenção para as diferenças entre países quando se controla a dimensão Individualismo/Coletivismo de Hofstede. Participaram um total de 739 trabalhadores (homens = 442, 59.8%), com uma média de idades de 27.64 anos (DP = 8.48; amplitude = [18, 70]), trabalhando maioritariamente a tempo inteiro (n = 398, 53.9%) e com 46.35% do seu trabalho a ser realizado a distância. O estudo testou a autoeficácia percebida, o desejo de controlo da carreira e o apoio organizacional percebido como preditores dos comportamentos estratégicos de carreira. E testou os comportamentos estratégicos de carreira como preditores do controlo percebido da carreira, do sucesso objetivo e subjetivo da carreira e da satisfação com a carreira. O estudo também analisou a existência de diferenças significativas nos fatores supramencionados quando agrupados pela pontuação do país de residência na escala de individualismo de Hofstede (Baixo[<50] = 286, 38.7%; Intervalo = [27, 89]). Os resultados indicam que o sucesso na carreira objectiva não estava relacionado com as variáveis antecedentes ou com os comportamentos estratégicos de carreira, pelo que foi retirado do modelo. A análise de regressão linear revelou relações maioritariamente significativas e positivas entre os fatores do modelo. A análise de mediação apresentou resultados mistos. De um modo geral, a perceção de autoeficácia e o desejo de controlo da carreira são bons preditores da utilização de comportamentos estratégicos de carreira, mas o apoio organizacional percebido não o é; os comportamentos estratégicos de carreira são preditores razoáveis do controlo percebido e preditores muito fortes do sucesso subjetivo de carreira e da satisfação com a carreira. As diferenças nestes resultados entre os grupos de individualismo baixo/alto foram muito reduzidas. Estes resultados apoiarão o desenvolvimento de programas de gestão de carreira que tenham em conta as idiossincrasias do trabalho remoto e as diferenças culturais que podem afetar o impacto do trabalho remoto na gestão da carreira

Strategic career behaviours: the nature, antecedentes and consequences in European remote workers

The structure of this study protocol follows the recommendations of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The overall purpose of this systematic literature review is to summarize and synthesize the evidence about the use of strategic career behaviors by European remote workers. This work is financed by national funds through the FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. under project EXPL/PSI-GER/0321/2021 (EURECA: New career strategies for the new European remote careers