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

Ranka Popovac, Dragan Vukmirović, Tijana Čomić and Zoran G. Pavlović ()
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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

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-23

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.

Keywords: remote work; employee well-being; sustainable lifestyle; IT sector; perceived stress; productivity; HR; technostress; work-life balance; organizational support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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