Date

5-20-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Matthew Ferdock

Keywords

Return-to-Office, Employee Engagement, Worker Engagement, Work-Family Conflict, Flexible Work Arrangements, Remote Work

Disciplines

Human Resources Management | Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was to examine relationships among employee perceptions of return-to-office (RTO) mandates, employee engagement (EE), and work-family conflict (WFC) among previously remote U.S.-based workers. Despite extensive RTO mandates following the COVID-19 pandemic, limited research has examined the relationship between worker perceptions, EE, and work-family dynamics. Grounded in personal engagement theory (Kahn, 1990), role theory, and the Job Demands-Resources model, this study investigates whether RTO perceptions predict EE and WFC, and whether WFC mediates or moderates the relationship between RTO perceptions and EE. Data were collected from 145 participants using a researcher-developed RTO perception scale and two validated instruments: the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) and the Netemeyer WFC Scale. Because several variables violate parametric assumptions, robustness is examined using rank-transformed regression models. Nonparametric results show a significant positive correlation between RTO perceptions and EE (τb = .502, p < .001) and a significant negative correlation between RTO perceptions and WFC (τb = -.462, p < .001). Regression analyses show that RTO perceptions predicted EE (R2 = .434, p < .001) and WFC (R2 = .401, p < .001). Mediation and moderation analyses indicated that WFC did not mediate or moderate the relationship between RTO perceptions and EE. Overall, these findings indicate that more favorable perceptions of RTO mandates are associated with

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