Crafting Sustainable Success in Hybrid Work Practices - Quality of Work Life and Mediating Effects of Job Satisfaction & Leadership Support

Abstract

The rise of hybrid work arrangements, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced both challenges and opportunities for organizations and employees. This study seeks to examine the sustainability of hybrid work models by analyzing the role of leadership support (LS) and job satisfaction (JS) as mediators in the relationship between Quality of Work Life (QWL) and Work-Life Balance (WLB). Data were collected via online surveys from 343 valid respondent employees working in the private corporate sector in India who had experience in remote or hybrid work setups. The hypothesized relationships among the named variables were tested using the PLS-SEM approach, with a standard bootstrapping procedure employed to disclose direct and indirect effects among latent variables. The findings indicate that employees strongly preferred the hybrid work model over the traditional work setting. Also, it reveals that QWL positively influences WLB, with both LS and JS serving as significant mediators. Leadership support, in particular, emerged as a crucial factor in the hybrid work context, influencing job satisfaction among employees and helping to strike a good balance between their professional and personal lives. The novelty of this research lies in its empirical demonstration of how leadership support and job satisfaction mediate the relationship between QWL and WLB, providing actionable insights for organizations to navigate the complexities of hybrid work model. The study recommends that organizations should formalize hybrid work arrangements; prioritize leadership communication; conduct regular team-building activities and focus on outcome-based performance evaluations. These strategies will enhance job satisfaction, strengthen leadership roles, and promote long-term prosperity with a positive societal and ecological impact.