Remote Workers’ Boundary Management and Work Outcomes During and After the Pandemic: Moderating Role of Supervisor and Family Support

Abstract

This study examines how remote workers’ segmentation boundary management enactment relates to job satisfaction and turnover intention, comparing the COVID-19 pandemic with the post-pandemic period. Across two surveys, segmentation enactment was positively associated with job satisfaction during the pandemic but negatively after the pandemic, while it was positively related to turnover in both phases. Work–nonwork balance consistently mediated the relationships between segmentation enactment and both outcomes. Emotional supervisor support amplified the benefits of segmentation enactment for work–nonwork balance during the pandemic, whereas instrumental supervisor support became more influential after the pandemic. Emotional family support showed consistent moderating effects across periods, such that segmentation enactment was more beneficial for workers with low family support. This research demonstrates that the effectiveness of segmentation enactment and social support varies depending on the timing of implementation and highlights the importance of considering environmental factors in the work–nonwork interface of remote workers.