Remote Work, Family Integration, and Employee Well-Being: Unpacking the Role of Work–Life Balance and Team Communication

Technological changes have led to a new work and life integration dynamic due to the emergence of telework. This paper critically evaluates how telework has affected the work–life balance and well-being of employees with reference to supportive team communication. Using the Social Exchange Theory and Boundary Theory, this study examines how remote work affects the capacity of employees to achieve work and family balance and consequently the outcome of life satisfaction. Based on a sample size of 300 IT industry employees in Pakistan, the research design is cross-sectional and quantitative. The structured, self-administered online survey was used as the approach to gather data on the basis of a convenience sampling method. In a bid to promote methodological rigor, SPSS Macros Process by Hayes was used to test the mediation and moderation models.

The results indicate the presence of a strong positive correlation between telework and work–life balance, and they result in an improved life satisfaction. Moreover, the beneficial effect of telework on life satisfaction is greatly moderated by supportive team communication, emphasizing the role of organizational support in teleworking. This is an indication that the well-being of employees is enhanced by telework when there is good team support. This paper also focuses on the intermediary role of work–life balance in the telework–life satisfaction relationship, which highlights the value of promoting favorable work environments. The research can contribute to the discussion of work–life integration, as well as provide work implications to organizations, by implementing policies that lead to improved communication among the team that can optimally benefit telework in terms of employee well-being and performance.