About the Author(s)


Warren P. Charles symbol
Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa

Aminah Mobara symbol
Department of Industrial Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

Tendency Beretu Email symbol
Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa

Department of Human Resource Management, College of Economic and Management Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

Lisah Y. Mhembere symbol
Graduate Centre for Management, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa

Citation


Charles, W.P., Mobara, A., Beretu, T., & Mhembere, L.Y. (2025). How hybrid work and organisation support shape an IT company’s employee engagement. SA Journal of Human Resource Management/SA Tydskrif vir Menslikehulpbronbestuur, 23(0), a3161. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v23i0.3161

Original Research

How hybrid work and organisation support shape an IT company’s employee engagement

Warren P. Charles, Aminah Mobara, Tendency Beretu, Lisah Y. Mhembere

Received: 06 June 2025; Accepted: 09 Sept. 2025; Published: 12 Nov. 2025

Copyright: © 2025. The Author(s). Licensee: AOSIS.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract

Orientation: Research has yielded conflicting results on the impact of hybrid work and organisational support on work engagement. Some studies show that hybrid work allows flexibility and promotes work–life balance, thereby enhancing engagement, while others highlight challenges such as loneliness, stress and work disturbances that affect performance. This study contributes to these contrasts through a case study of an Information Technology (IT) entity in the Western Cape, South Africa, selected for its technological structure and wide use of hybridisation.

Research purpose: The study explored employee perspectives on the impact of hybrid workplaces and organisational support on work engagement, applying frameworks such as social exchange theory, the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and self-determination theory (SDT).

Motivation for the study: The study was driven by the need to expand knowledge of how hybrid arrangements and organisational support affect work engagement in an IT entity in the Western Cape.

Research approach/design and method: Guided by the positivist paradigm, a survey of 218 employees was conducted.

Main findings: Results show that hybrid working significantly influences engagement. Flexibility increased engagement, and organisational support fostered commitment and satisfaction.

Practical/managerial implications: The study provides insights for IT organisations, legislators, Human Resource (HR) professionals and leaders navigating hybrid work challenges in South Africa’s IT landscape.

Contribution/value-add: Using the theory of work determination, the study contributes to diverging views on hybrid work and organisational support, offering context-specific analysis and adding to academic and managerial knowledge.

Keywords: hybrid working; organisational support; employee engagement; information technology company; employees.

Introduction

With global acceptance that the world of work has transformed in various dimensions, this study focuses on work arrangements with specific attention on the transition to hybrid work arrangements and its impact on work engagement. Work engagement is a key construct in people productivity, making it vital to explore how it is affected by the now common hybrid work strategies that emerged as a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (Eng et al., 2024). In the Information Technology (IT) sector (as in other sectors), the failure to conclude the nature of the relationship between hybrid work, organisational support and work engagement was observed (Ravhudzulo & Eresia-Eke, 2024; Reddy & Dasari, 2025), and a study of a typical IT entity was necessary. This study explored how hybrid working affects employee engagement as mediated by organisational employee support at a Cape Town IT entity. The case study of an IT sector entity explored in this study typically involves widespread virtual work, and hybrid work characterises the nature of work. As a result, a study of the IT entity would yield results that can be context specific and useful to better understand the lack of clarity on the effect of hybrid work and organisational support on work engagement.

Hybrid work arrangements combine on-site and remote tasks, thereby subjecting employees to different circumstances at the same workplace (Lamovšek et al., 2025; Thejls Ziegler & Lütge, 2025). Additionally, hybrid work arrangements have been viewed in contrasting ways by both employers and employees. Some studies have found it to threaten work–life balance and cause burnout and reduced engagement (Khalid et al., 2024; Kinman 2024), while others have found the opposite (Volk et al., 2024; Shafariah & Gofur, 2025). Additionally, a hybrid work paradigm might not be efficiently supported by some enterprises because of a lack of digital infrastructure, technology and inadequate policies to support it (Asriandi et al., 2024). As a result, employees may struggle to work on-site and to work remotely without enough support. The resulting challenges may lead to irritation and inefficiency. In view of these challenges, organisational support for hybrid work is recognised as critical to ensure continued productivity. South Africa (like many other countries) faces the challenge of ensuring employee engagement, as well as organisational support in the hybrid work contexts (Marozva & Pelser, 2025). Previous research has highlighted the difficulties that organisations in South Africa have in successfully transitioning to hybrid work models. It has been found that significant obstacles to effective remote cooperation and communication include restricted access to technology and stable Internet connectivity in some areas (Marozva & Pelser, 2025).

Therefore, this study aims to test three hypotheses:

  • H1: Hybrid working for the employees in the IT entity investigated has a statistically significant positive impact on employee engagement.
  • H2: Organisational support will significantly mediate the relationship between hybrid working and employee engagement for the employees in the IT entity investigated.
  • H3: There are statistically significant positive relationships between hybrid working, organisational support and employee engagement among employees in the IT entity investigated.
Theoretical framework and literature review

Employee engagement is a key construct in human resource management because of the desirable outcomes associated with it. These include enhanced performance, employee well-being and other favourable organisational outcomes. Stimulating work engagement entails creating a welcoming workplace environment where people can focus their physical, mental and emotional energies. Dan (2024) posits that work engagement involves vigour, commitment and total immersion in one’s work. Employee engagement is related to increased productivity, successful organisational outcomes and job satisfaction.

In this study, work engagement is considered from the self-determination theory (SDT) as first provided in the work of Ryan and Deci (2024). This theory postulates that people have innate psychological desires for autonomy, competence and relatedness. When these demands are met, people frequently display increased engagement, intrinsic motivation and general well-being. Ryan and Deci (2024) provided that autonomy is the desire for self-control and decision-making; competence is the perception of competence and efficiency in one’s work; and relatedness emphasises the value of positive social relationships at work. Applying the SDT to employee engagement implies giving workers ownership and control over their roles, giving them opportunities for feedback and promoting an inclusive culture, which can all help to increase engagement. Employee engagement, which is closely tied to intrinsic motivation and a sense of purpose, can also be increased by fostering relatedness through teamwork and interpersonal interactions and competence through training and clear expectations (Ganguly et al., 2025). By using SDT principles, organisations can increase employee engagement and well-being (Ganguly et al., 2025). This study uses the job demands-resources (JD-R) model advanced by Bakker et al. (2023) to explain the hybrid work contexts. This theory divides workplace difficulties into job demands and resources. While employment resources include organisational, social, psychological and physical components supporting professional goals and well-being, job demands involve physical, mental and emotional activities that can lead to stress (Bakker et al., 2023). With reference to Bakker et al. (2023), autonomy and flexibility in the context of hybrid work come with requirements such as self-control and maintaining work–life boundaries, which could result in increased stress and fuzzier work–life borders. However, job resources like schedule flexibility, shorter commutes and opportunities for work–life balance can improve autonomy, work–life balance and leisure time, which suggests that organisations should actively provide these resources to maximise the benefits of hybrid work (Eng et al., 2024). These resources can also increase engagement and well-being. The views of organisation as adhered to in this study were informed by the social exchange theory as set out in Emerson’s 1976 seminal work (Antwi et al., 2024). Social exchange theory argues that social interactions involve resource sharing to maximise benefits and reduce costs. People are more likely to display positive attitudes and behaviours when they experience success in their relationships (Antwi et al., 2024). According to this notion, when organisations offer their staff members many types of support, such as practical, emotional and informational help, they feel valued and respond by being more devoted and engaged. This support satisfies the workforce’s competence, relatedness and autonomy needs, improving the working environment and fostering more loyalty. Organisations can build a healthy exchange relationship with their employees and increase commitment and engagement by regularly providing resources and assistance (Alzadjali & Ahmad, 2024).

The IT sector and employee engagement in the hybrid context

The IT sector in South Africa is a highly established and expanding industry that boosts the nation’s economy considerably (Udeagha & Ngepah, 2024). South Africa has one of Africa’s strongest and largest information and communications technology (ICT) markets composed of subsectors concentrating on software development, finance and e-commerce. The Western Cape, one of South Africa’s nine provinces, has a thriving IT sector (Strydom & Van der Merwe, 2025). To the IT sector (as in other sectors), employee engagement is a concept that explains employees’ dedication, involvement and commitment to their jobs and organisations (De-la-Calle-Durán & Rodríguez-Sánchez, 2021). Maintaining employee engagement has become more challenging as more individuals continue to work remotely (Larson et al., 2020). Businesses are implementing new tactics to enhance employee engagement, including enhancing communication and openness, providing mental health and well-being tools and giving employees more flexibility (Chanana & Singh, 2024). Strategies for increasing employee engagement are essential for building a motivated and devoted team. Employers are presently seeking to ensure the realisation of employee engagement through appropriate systems in hiring and orientation, leadership, communication, autonomy and professional growth, resource availability and support, training, feedback system, incentives, corporate culture and attention to top performers. These tactics will help businesses develop an engaging culture that promotes employee happiness and productivity (Wu, 2024). Moreover, organisations are aware of the crucial link between employee engagement and several favourable organisational performance metrics and business outcomes, such as profitability, client satisfaction, business expansion and productivity (Wu, 2024). Employees participating in hybrid work arrangements divide their time between the office and remote work, allowing for social distance while enabling in-person cooperation and face-to-face meetings (Sengupta & Al-Khalifa, 2022).

The IT sector is mostly relevant for studying hybrid work because of its integral appropriateness for remote duties, strong competition for rare digital talent and the trade’s extreme exposure to employee weariness and work-related anxiety (Wilson & Wilson, 2025). These circumstantial characteristics make employee engagement and organisational support critical within IT entities.

With this strategy, employees work remotely when necessary while still present in the office for teamwork and cooperation. As employees have more influence over their work environment and schedule, the flexibility offered by hybrid work arrangements can also boost job satisfaction and employee retention rates (Thirasak & Rompho, 2024). Organisational support is a key element for employee engagement, productivity and happiness. This is confirmed in some studies (Atiku et al., 2024; Jindain & Gilitwala, 2024) that found employees are more dedicated to an organisation as they feel valued by their employer and supported by their company. Organisational support is an investment that may pay off for both employees and companies (Chila & Devarakonda, 2024).

Reddy and Dasari’s (2025) study of work engagement in hybrid work arrangements in India found that flexibility experienced by hybrid workers in the IT industry led to improved work engagement, while a lack of interaction in remote hybrid situations reduced employee engagements. Against these situations, Reddy and Dasari (2025) found that organisational support in the form of virtual tools and systems for promoting socialisation can improve work engagement. Ravhudzulo and Eresia-Eke’s (2024) South African study of hybrid work and employee engagement in the IT sector found a positive relationship between the propensity to telework and work engagement. The study, however, did not find this relationship to be direct. Organisational support was found to mediate the relationship between telework and work engagement. Given that these results relate to other findings other than the IT sector, it can be hypothesised that:

H1: Hybrid working for the employees in the IT entity investigated has a statistically significant positive impact on employee engagement.

H2: Organisational support will significantly mediate the relationship between hybrid working and employee engagement for the employees in the IT entity investigated.

H3: There are statistically significant positive relationships between hybrid working, organisational support and employee engagement among employees in the IT entity investigated.

Aim of the study

The study aimed to explore the relationships provided in the aforementioned section and contribute to understanding hybrid work and employee engagement in the South African IT context.

Research design

Research approach

A positivist research paradigm was adopted to examine relationships between variables through observable and measurable facts. A quantitative research approach was chosen to objectively quantify the views of employees regarding hybrid working engagement and organisational support. The study adopted deductive reasoning following the testing of hypothesis as developed from the literature and making conclusions of the study based on whether the literature-derived hypothesis was supported or not supported. The study was also cross-sectional owing to the need to appreciate the situation across respondents at a particular time, given the ever-changing environment.

Research method

The study used an explanatory survey research design to explore causal relationships between the independent variables (hybrid working and organisational support) and the dependent variable (employee engagement). The explanatory nature of the study allowed for hypotheses testing and determination of the mediation effect.

Research participants

The population comprised IT professionals and other employees (IT staff and support staff) working in a selected IT company in Cape Town. According to Rajic (2023), the organisation employed 450 IT staff and support staff members. A sample size of 218 participants was calculated using the Raosoft (2004) online calculator, considering a 5% margin of error, a 95% confidence level and a 50% response distribution rate. The final number of respondents was 218.

Sampling technique

A non-probability sampling method was used, combining convenience and purposive sampling. This was adopted to ensure that participants had something to do with IT and were engaged in on-site and remote working associated with hybrid work. Convenience sampling was used by the researchers to access participants based on availability and willingness. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who were relevant to the research objectives, specifically IT staff and support staff working under hybrid work arrangements. To avoid bias, support in the selection of participants was done with the help of the managers at the entity.

Measuring instrument

The study employed a structured questionnaire with four sections. Section A was to gather demographic data, including age, gender, race, employment duration and educational background. Section B featured a 25-item hybrid working scale (Tran 2022) using a 5-point Likert scale (1–5) to assess adaptability, communication, teamwork and work–life balance. Section C included an 8-item organisational support scale (Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002) using a 7-point Likert scale (1–7) to measure general organisational support, coworker support and supervisor support. Section D incorporated a 12-item employee engagement scale by Gallup (Broderick et al., 2013), utilising a 5-point Likert scale (1–5) to gauge aspects like expectations, appreciation and growth opportunities. These scales have reported high reliability coefficients in prior studies. For example, the hybrid working scale (Tran, 2022) reported Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.70 to 0.89; the organisational support scale (Thorsen & Bjorner, 2010; Taber, 2018) demonstrated a reliability of α = 0.90, and the Gallup employee engagement scale reported reliability between 0.84 and 0.95 (Broderick et al., 2013). In the present study, the scales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency with all Cronbach’s alpha values above the acceptable threshold of 0.70.

Research procedure

Authorisation was granted by company management. Participants received clear explanations of study aims and procedures with voluntary, informed consent secured. Data were collected using a Google Forms online survey tool, which was accessible for 2 weeks. Access to participants was facilitated through a gatekeeper role played by the HR manager, who distributed the survey link to employees. This ensured that only eligible respondents within the IT entity could participate. Ethical protocols complied with university guidelines and South African data protection standards.

Statistical analysis

Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics were first created to summarise the demographic features of the sample. Inferential statistics encompassed linear regression, zero-order correlations and multiple regression to test hypotheses. Threshold values followed standard statistical conventions, where significance was accepted at p < 0.05 and high reliability was indicated by Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.70. Effect sizes were interpreted in line with Cohen’s (1988) guidelines (β = 0.10 small, 0.30 medium, 0.50 large) (Lovakov & Agadullina, 2021).

Ethical considerations

Ethical clearance to conduct this study was obtained from the University of the Western Cape, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences HSSREC (Ref: HS23/8/16).

Results

In the study, 22 participants (10.1%) were below 25 years old, 102 (46.8%) were between 25 years and 34 years, 63 (28.9%) were between 35 years and 44 years, 27 (12.4%) were between 45 years and 54 years, while the other 4 (1.8%) were 55 years and above. In terms of gender, 167 (76.6%) were males, 50 (22.9%) were females, while one individual (0.5%) identified as non-binary. From the distribution, it could be deduced that most of the participants were males. A total of 37 (17%) participants were from the black African ethnic group, 61 (28%) the mixed race ethnic group, 98 (45%) the white ethnic group and 17 (7.8%) the Indian race group. Four participants (1.8%) were foreign nationals, while the other individual (0.5%) preferred not to say. From the distribution, it is shown that the majority of the employees belong to the mixed race ethnic group. In terms of employment status, the majority of the employees 199 (91%) were permanent staff, while the remaining 19 (9%) were employed on a contract basis. At the time of conducting the study, most of the employees in the selected IT company had between 0 and 5 years of experience with the organisation; 24 (11%) had between 6 years and 10 years of experience, while the other 32 (14.7%) had 10 years or more with their current organisation. Regarding educational qualifications, 24 (11%) participants held a matric qualification, 82 (37.6%) were diploma certificate holders, 44 (20.2%) were degree certificate holders, 35 (16.1%) were honours certificate holders, 7 (3.2%) were Master’s degree holders, 25 (11.5%) had other educational qualifications and one individual (0.5%) indicated to be a PhD certificate holder. This shows that the majority of the employees in the IT company were diploma certificate holders.

The demographic profile of the sample gives significant context for interpreting the study’s findings. The high absorption of male participants (76.6%) is noteworthy and reflects a broader gender disparity prevalent within the global IT division. This proposes that the viewpoints captured may be disproportionately male, hypothetically limiting the transferability of findings to a more gender-balanced IT labour force. Additionally, the majority of respondents were aged 25–34 (46.8%) and had 0–5 years of tenure with the organisation (74.3%). This moderately young and early-career profile may signify a workforce that highly values the flexibility and independence offered by hybrid work provisions, potentially consolidating the observed positive relationship. The racial distribution, with a multitude of participants classifying as white (45%) followed by mixed race (28%), reflects the multifaceted demographic landscape of the Western Cape. This distribution should be considered when taking a broad view of findings to IT companies in other regions of South Africa or other republics with diverse demographic structures. Consequently, while the data are precisely reported, these demographic features are not neutral as they form a central lens through which the results on hybrid work and engagement must be viewed.

Hypothesis testing
The impact of hybrid work on employee engagement

Hypothesis: Hybrid working for the employees in the IT entity investigated has a statistically significant positive impact on employee engagement.

The hypothesis was tested using linear regression, and the result is presented in Table 1.

TABLE 1: Linear regression analysis, summary of results on the influence of hybrid working on employee engagement.

Table 1 presents results on the influence of hybrid working on employee engagement among employees at the selected IT entity in Cape Town. It is clear from the table that hybrid working significantly influenced employee engagement among employees of the selected IT company (β = 0.555; t = 9.392; R2 = 0.308; p < 0.01). Further, the hybrid working arrangement accounted for about 30.8% of the variance in employee engagement within the IT company. The direction of the beta value indicates that the higher the hybrid working arrangement that employees have, the more engaged they are with their assigned tasks and duties (β = 0.555). In other words, employees who have the chance to work both physically and online reported higher levels of engagement with their jobs.

The relationships between hybrid working, organisational support and employee engagement

Hypothesis: There are statistically significant positive relationships between hybrid working, organisational support and employee engagement among employees in the IT entity investigated.

The above hypothesis was tested for the relationship between hybrid working, organisational support and employee engagement. This was tested using zero-order correlation, and the results are presented in Table 2.

TABLE 2: Zero-order correlation summary of results on the relationship between hybrid working, organisational support and employee engagement.

The table shows that a significant relationship exists between employee engagement and hybrid working among employees of the IT company (r = 0.555; p < 0.01). The direction of the relationship is positive, which implies that the higher the hybrid working arrangement the organisation has for their employees, the higher the employees’ engagement. The table also shows that a significant relationship exists between employee engagement and organisational support (r = 0.770; p < 0.01). The direction of the relationship is positive; therefore, it means that the higher the organisational support, the higher the employee engagement.

In addition, it was discovered that a significant and positive relationship exists between organisational support and hybrid working arrangement (r = 0.595; p < 0.01). This means that the higher the hybrid working arrangement, the higher the organisational support. Further, multiple regression analysis that shows the joint influence of hybrid working and organisational support is shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3: Multiple regression analysis summary of results on the joint influence of hybrid working and organisational support on employee engagement.

Table 3 presents the results on the joint influence of hybrid working and organisational support on employee engagement among employees of the IT company. The table shows that hybrid working arrangements and organisational support had a significant joint influence on employee engagement (R = 0.779; R2 = 0.607; F [2, 197] = 152.14; p < 0.001). Collectively, hybrid working arrangements and organisational support accounted for about 60.7% of the variance in employee engagement among employees of the IT company.

The strong positive correlations between all variables align perfectly with the propositions of social exchange theory of Blau (1964) (Musleh & Cross, 2025) and the JD-R model. The high correlation between organisational support and engagement (r = 0.770) is particularly noteworthy and reinforces the meta-analytic findings of prior research, such as that of Musenze et al. (2021), which found perceived organisational support is one of the strongest predictors of employee engagement across various contexts.

The interpretation of these statistical results warrants a discussion of their practical and theoretical significance. The standardised beta coefficient (β = 0.555) for the impact of hybrid work on engagement represents a large effect size according to Cohen’s (1988) conventions (where 0.10 = small, 0.30 = medium and 0.50 = large). This indicates that the flexible nature of hybrid work is not just a statistically significant predictor but a powerfully substantive one for employee engagement in this context.

The R2 value of 0.308 for the model in Table 1 indicates that hybrid work arrangements explain approximately 31% of the variance in employee engagement. In social science research, where human behaviour is influenced by a multitude of factors, explaining nearly a third of the variance with a single variable is considered a strong and substantial explanatory power.

Furthermore, the multiple regression model (Table 3), which includes both hybrid work and organisational support, yields an R2 of 0.607. This means the combined model explains over 60% of the variance in engagement, which is an exceptionally strong result. The increase in R2 highlights the paramount importance of including organisational support to fully understand the dynamics of engagement in a hybrid setting.

Mediation of the mediation relationship between hybrid working and employee engagement

Hypothesis: Organisational support will significantly mediate the relationship between hybrid working and employee engagement for the employees in the IT entity investigated.

Mediation was tested using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4) with 5000 bootstrapped resamples. Table 4 presents the Baron and Kenny (1986) steps for mediation, while Table 5 reports the more robust bootstrapped indirect effects, which confirm the mediating role of organisational support.1

TABLE 4: Summary of results on the mediating role of organisational support on the relationship between hybrid working and employee engagement.
TABLE 5: Indirect and total effects.

Table 4 shows that hybrid working, which is the independent variable, had a significant influence on the mediating variable (p < 0.01). Also, the independent variable (hybrid working) had a significant influence on the dependent variable (p < 0.05). The mediating variable (organisational support) was also found to have a significant influence on the dependent variable (employee engagement; p < 0.01). These results confirm the assumptions of Baron and Kenny (1986) that the independent variable must be able to predict the mediating variable and the dependent variable, while the mediating variable must also predict the dependent variable before the mediating test can be conducted. This was observed in this study, as shown in Figure 1.

FIGURE 1: Path result of the link between the independent, mediating and dependent variables.

Figure 1 shows the path results of the relationship between the independent, mediating and dependent variables. The paths satisfy Baron and Kenny’s (1986) conditions for mediation (Baron & Kenny, 1986). However, as shown in Table 5, modern mediation analysis using bootstrapping provides a more robust confirmation of the indirect effect of organisational support.

Figure 1 clearly shows the facilitating effect of organisational support on the connection between hybrid working and employee engagement. It shows that while hybrid working has a direct positive impact on employee engagement, a significant portion of this association is facilitated through organisational support. Thus, it visually emphasises the statistical results of the study by indicating that organisations that actively offer supportive means and strategies in hybrid work settings significantly enhance employee engagement results.

From Table 5, it is evident that the total effect yielded a coefficient of 0.366, while the indirect effect estimate was 0.268. By implication, the division of the indirect coefficient by the total effect coefficient shows that organisational support indirectly contributed to about 73% influence in the relationship between hybrid working and employee engagement, while hybrid working accounted directly for about 27% influence in employee engagement. This confirms that organisational support is a significant mediating variable of the relationship between hybrid working and employee engagement. The results found in this study support those of Ravhudzulo and Eresia-Eke (2024) as well as Reddy and Dasari (2025).

Discussion

The findings confirm that hybrid work arrangements significantly influence employee engagement in the IT context. These results are consistent with Reddy and Dasari (2025), who reported similar effects in the Indian IT sector, but they contrast with Khalid et al. (2024), who found negative consequences such as burnout. The strong mediating effect of organisational support aligns with Ravhudzulo and Eresia-Eke’s (2024) South African study, highlighting that support mechanisms are crucial in hybrid environments.

The results also confirmed the mediating role of organisational support, providing strong evidence for Hypothesis 2 (H2). Organisational support accounted for approximately 73% of the total effect of hybrid working on engagement, underscoring its importance as a central mechanism. This finding aligns with Ravhudzulo and Eresia-Eke’s (2024) South African study, which similarly found that support mediated the link between telework and engagement. From a theoretical perspective, these results reinforce social exchange theory of Blau (1964) (Musleh & Cross, 2025), which proposes that when employees perceive meaningful support from their organisation, they reciprocate with greater commitment and engagement. The mediating role also resonates with the JD-R model, where organisational support operates as a vital resource that reduces strain and enhances motivation in hybrid work contexts.

In testing Hypothesis 3 (H3), the study revealed that hybrid working and organisational support jointly accounted for 61% of the variance in engagement. This is a particularly strong outcome for social science research and indicates that these two factors together form a powerful explanatory model. The SDT further enriches this interpretation: hybrid working provides autonomy and flexibility, while organisational support enhances competence and relatedness, jointly satisfying core psychological needs and fostering deeper engagement.

Practical implications

IT companies should invest in supportive policies and infrastructure that enable effective hybrid working while promoting employee well-being and engagement. Policies on employee support and the promotion of the hybrid work arrangements should be strengthened. The hybrid work environment should have good organisational support to ensure better employee engagement. Organisational support plays a pivotal role in mediating hybrid working outcomes, suggesting companies should prioritise continuous, structured support initiatives.

Limitations and recommendations

The study was limited to a single IT company in Cape Town, which may affect generalisability. The collection of cross-sectional data was expensive and time consuming, thereby affecting data quality. Future research should include multiple organisations across different sectors, explore the longitudinal effects of hybrid working and examine qualitative employee experiences for richer insights.

Conclusion

The study explored key components of the technological revolution: hybrid work arrangements and employee engagement. It examined how the hybrid work contexts affect work engagement. That study found that a significant relationship exists between employee engagement and hybrid working among employees of the IT company. The study also found evidence that organisational support was important to mediate the relationship between the hybrid work contexts and work engagement for the employees in the IT sector.

Acknowledgements

We just want to thank all who participated in this research.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

Authors’ contributions

All authors participated equally in this study. We all contributed to preparing and improving the manuscript, as well as approving the final version for journal submission. Each author has contributed significantly to the work and accuracy of the content for publication.

Funding information

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, T.B., upon reasonable request. The data are not publicly available due to privacy and ethical restrictions.

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and are the product of professional research. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated institution, funder, agency or that of the publisher. The authors are responsible for this article’s results, findings and content.

References

Alzadjali, B., & Ahmad, S.Z. (2024). The impacts of a high commitment work system on well-being: The mediating role of organization support and employee work-life balance. Industrial and Commercial Training, 56(1), 53–77. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICT-11-2022-0084

Antwi, A., Adeoye, A.O., & Kolawole, I.O. (2024). Human resources policies and employee performance: Evidence from Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos. Applied Journal of Economics, Management and Social Sciences, 5(3), 58–71.

Asriandi, A., Sitompul, G.A., & Sangaji, J. (2024). Transforming workforce dynamics: The role of remote work flexibility, technological adoption, and employee wellbeing on productivity of state owned enterprise employee. International Journal of Business, Law, and Education, 5(2), 2445–2457. https://doi.org/10.56442/ijble.v5i2.896

Atiku, S.O., Itembu-Naunyango, K.A., & Oladejo, O.M. (2024). Inclusive leadership and employee engagement as critical drivers of sustainability in telecommunication companies. Administrative Sciences, 14(6), 126. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14060126

Bakker, A.B., Demerouti, E., & Sanz-Vergel, A. (2023). Job demands–resources theory: Ten years later. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10(1), 25–53. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-120920-053933

Baron, R.M., & Kenny, D.A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173

Blau, P.M. (1964). Justice in social exchange. Sociological Inquiry, 34(2), 193–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-682X.1964.tb00583.x

Broderick, J.E., Schneider, S., Junghaenel, D.U., Schwartz, J.E., & Stone, A.A. (2013). Validity and reliability of patient-reported outcomes measurement information system instruments in osteoarthritis. Arthritis Care & Research, 65(10), 1625–1633. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22025

Chanana, N., & Singh, Y. (2024). Green HRM: Boosting employee engagement with digital tools for sustainability. In N. Chanana, Y. Singh, & N. Rani (Eds.), Management principles and practices (1st edn., pp. 10–27). Notion Press. ISBN 9798890026316

Chila, V., & Devarakonda, S. (2024). The effects of firm-specific incentives (stock options) on mobility and employee entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 39(3), 106382.

Cohen, J. (1988). Set correlation and contingency tables. Applied psychological measurement, 12(4), 425–434.

Dan, S.H.I. (2024). Work engagement and organizational commitment relationship with career growth. Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(2), 69–77. https://doi.org/10.46287/IDFJ1781

De-la-Calle-Durán, M.C., & Rodríguez-Sánchez, J.L. (2021). Employee engagement and wellbeing in times of COVID-19: A proposal of the 5Cs model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5470. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105470

Eng, I., Tjernberg, M., & Champoux-Larsson, M.F. (2024). Hybrid workers describe aspects that promote effectiveness, work engagement, work-life balance, and health. Cogent Psychology, 11(1), 2362535. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2024.2362535

Ganguly, D. G., Sinha, D., Bhaumik, V., & Varghese, R. (2025). Nurturing excellence: The influence of employee engagement on job satisfaction in the educational realm. In S. Kurnaz & J. Bieliauskaitė (Eds.). Economic innovations and technological developments in HRM (pp. 89–118). IGI Global.

Jindain, C., & Gilitwala, B. (2024). The factors impacting the intermediating variable of employee engagement toward employee performance in a hybrid working model. Rajagiri Management Journal, 18(2), 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1108/RAMJ-08-2023-0237

Khalid, A., Raja, U., Malik, A.R., & Jahanzeb, S. (2024). The effects of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic on work–life balance, work–family conflict and employee burnout. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 11(4), 749–766. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-12-2022-0366

Kinman, G. (2024). Work–life balance and wellbeing in academic employees. In M.S. Edwards, A.J. Martin, N.M. Ashkanasy, & L.E. Cox (Eds.), Research handbook of academic mental health (pp. 276–289). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Lamovšek, A., Radević, I., Mohammed, S.S., & Černe, M. (2025). Beyond the office walls: Work design configurations for task performance across on-site, hybrid and remote forms of work. Information Systems Journal, 35(1), 279–321. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12542

Larson, B.Z., Vroman, S.R., & Makarius, E.E. (2020). A guide to managing your (newly) remote workers. Harvard Business Review, 18(2), 27–35.

Li, Q., Mohamed, R., Mahomed, A., & Khan, H. (2022). The effect of perceived organizational support and employee care on turnover intention and work engagement: A mediated moderation model using age in the post pandemic period. Sustainability, 14(15), 9125. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159125

Lovakov, A. & Agadullina, E.R. (2021). Empirically derived guidelines for effect size interpretation in social psychology. European Journal of Social Psychology, 51(3), 485–504. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2752

Marozva, R.R., & Pelser, A.M. (2025). Social employee well-being challenges of academics in the hybrid work environment. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1524804. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1524804

Musenze, I.A., Mayende, T.S., Wampande, A.J., Kasango, J., & Emojong, O. R. (2021). Mechanism between perceived organizational support and work engagement: explanatory role of self-efficacy. Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 37(4), 471–495.

Musleh, N., & Cross, C. (2025). Social exchange theory. In Theories and Concepts in Work and Employment Relations (pp. 92–98). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Rajic, A. (2023). Biggest HR and people ops challenges in 2023. Gable. https://www.gable.to/blog/post/biggest-hr-and-people-ops-challenges-in-2023

Raosoft. (2004). Sample size calculator. http://www.raosoft.com/samplesize.html

Ravhudzulo, H., & Eresia-Eke, C. (2024). Employee engagement, telecommuting propensity, and employee performance in the virtual workplace. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2422559. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2422559

Reddy, B.N., & Dasari, R.B. (2025). Analyzing the impact of hybrid work models on employee engagement and performance in the IT industry. International Journal of Enhanced Research in Management & Computer Applications, 14(2), 10–18.

Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 698. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.4.698

Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2024). Self-determination theory. In F. Maggino (Ed.), Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research (pp. 6229–6235). Springer International Publishing.

Sengupta, D. & Al-Khalifa, D. (2022). Pandemic imposed remote work arrangements and resultant work-life integration, future of work and role of leaders—A qualitative study of Indian millennial workers. Administrative Sciences, 12(4), 162. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci12040162

Shafariah, H., & Gofur, A. (2025). Is burnout a missing link? Exploring the relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction. Oikonomia: Jurnal Manajemen, 21(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.47313/oikonomia.v21i1.3946

Strydom, C., & Van der Merwe, S. (2025). A survival framework for SMME’s based on COVID-19 events in the Western Cape of South Africa. The Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, 17(1), 960. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajesbm.v17i1.960

Taber, K.S. (2018). The use of Cronbach’s alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48(6), 1273–1296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2

Thejls Ziegler, M., & Lütge, C. (2025). Advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing and direct interaction: A conceptual framework for evaluating hybrid work models. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 41(1), 170–194. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-07-2023-0150

Thirasak, V., & Rompho, N. (2024). Retaining remote workers: Factors that affect virtual and hybrid workers’ job retention. International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 30(4), 329–349. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJNVO.2024.140215

Thorsen, S.V., & Bjorner, J.B. (2010). Reliability of the Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 38(3_suppl), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494809349859

Tran, L. (2022). The impact of hybrid work on productivity: Understanding the future of work – A case study in agile software development teams. Master’s thesis, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Engineering and Management, Industrial Economics and Management, TRITA-ITM-EX 2022:134. Retrieved from: https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1696127/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Udeagha, M.C., & Ngepah, N. (2024). A roadmap to a green economy in South Africa: Modelling technological innovation and energy consumption in the novel dynamic ARDL simulations framework. Cogent Economics & Finance, 12(1), 2295191. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2023.2295191

Volk, J.O., Schimmack, U., Strand, E.B., Reinhard, A., Hahn, J., Andrews, J., & Jones, R. (2024). Work-life balance is essential to reducing burnout, improving well-being. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 262(7), 950–957. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.02.0135

Wilson, S.L., & Wilson, K.M. (2025). Addressing workplace bullying in the digital age: Micro, macro, and mezzo perspectives. In M.D. Baez (Ed.). AI-powered leadership: Transforming organizations in the digital age (pp. 291–338). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.

Wu, H. (2024). The impact of employee satisfaction on firm profitability: A focus on employee performance and customer satisfaction. Journal of Applied Economics and Policy Studies, 10, 62–72. https://doi.org/10.54254/2977-5701/10/2024091

Footnotes

1. Note: Table 1 reports standardised coefficients (β) from the regression analysis, whereas Tables 4 and 5 report unstandardised coefficients (b) from the mediation analysis. This difference in reporting explains the discrepancy in values across the tables.



Crossref Citations

No related citations found.