Date

5-23-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Natalie Hamrick

Keywords

employee engagement theory, engaged employees, virtual workplace, and self-determination theory

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to examine the lived experiences of employees working in the virtual workforce who have previously worked at an onsite location to better understand the tools needed to keep them engaged. This study aimed to fill the gap in research by gaining insight into the aspects unique to the virtual workplace that promote employee autonomy, competence, and connectedness. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect relevant informational data from 13 participants recruited from the professional social media platform LinkedIn. Participants were individuals aged 21 or older who had worked in a traditional and remote working environment, were currently employed at least 35 hours per week, had worked virtually at least two days a week for at least one year, and were able to converse without an interpreter or guardian. Important components of Self-Determination Theory discovered that autonomy is improved through increased leadership trust and job flexibility, competence is increased through provided learning opportunities, and connectedness through regular co-worker connections. This study also revealed that the components of Kahn’s engagement model strongly emphasize organizational support systems and the importance of overall well-being as strong driving factors of increased employee engagement. The information gained from this study can help facilitate organizational change in the fast-growing virtual workforce.

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