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

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.