NUST Business School

MGT 321 – Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods

Submitted to:
Dr. Dilawar Khan
Submitted by: Group 8
Izzah Tajdeed (481198)
Aiman Azeem (460756)
Mehreen Masood (457783)
Musab Bin Tariq (455038)
Hashir Kashif (457920)
Muhammad Uzair (480344)
BBA 2K23-B

Date: April 14th, 2025.

 Organizational behavior and remote work productivity

Background

The transition to remote working has notably modified traditional workplace dynamics,
particularly concerning staff engagement and efficiency. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, remote
work was relatively uncommon; however, the requirement for social distancing accelerated its
integration across various industries. This transformation has prompted widespread research into
how working remotely influences corporate behavior.

While efficiency may rise, remote work introduces challenges to employee commitment.
Gallup’s study indicates that remote staff connection to their company’s mission and purpose has
dropped to a record low (Harter, 2023).

The transition to remote work has profoundly altered traditional organizational dynamics,
especially with respect to productivity and employee motivation. While previous research
highlights a general increase in productivity among remote employees (Pabilonia &
Redmond, 2024; Alto, n.d.), the psychological and behavioral mechanisms behind this
relationship remain underexplored. A notable decline in employee engagement during
remote work settings (Harter, 2023; Psico Smart, 2023) points toward the influence of
deeper organizational behavior variables.

This study will focus on remote work arrangements (Independent Variable) and their effect
on employee productivity (Dependent Variable), while analyzing the mediating role of
intrinsic motivation and the moderating influence of organizational culture. These four
variables have been selected due to their critical relevance in shaping outcomes in remote
work settings.

Key Variables
 • Independent Variable (IV): Remote Work Arrangements – The structural configuration
of work (fully remote, hybrid, or in-office), including policies on autonomy and digital
infrastructure.
• Dependent Variable (DV): Employee Productivity – The measurable output of
individual employees, including task completion rates, goal attainment, and performance
ratings.
• Mediating Variable (MV): Intrinsic Motivation – The internal psychological drive
employees experience in performing work for personal satisfaction rather than external
rewards.
• Moderating Variable (ModV): Organizational Culture – The shared values, norms, and
practices within an organization that can either strengthen or weaken the impact of
remote work on productivity.

Issue / Research Gap

Although remote work’s growing prevalence is well-documented (Bloom et al., 2015), few
studies investigate the behavioral mechanisms through which it affects productivity. Much
of the current research remains focused on logistical or technical factors (Messenger &
Gschwandtner, 2020). The role of intrinsic motivation as a mediating factor in enhancing or
dampening productivity under remote conditions is rarely explored. Likewise,
organizational culture as a moderator—one that potentially buffers or intensifies the
challenges of remote settings—has been understudied.

This research gap hinders organizations in developing effective strategies to optimize remote
work arrangements and maximize employee efficiency. Specifically, there is a need for research
that explores how different remote work policies (e.g., degree of autonomy, communication
protocols, performance evaluation metrics) interact with individual motivational factors to affect
productivity outcomes in remote settings. A targeted understanding of these four variables
can offer deeper insight into how and why remote work arrangements succeed or fail in
different organizational environments.
Significance and Relevance

This study aims to generate actionable insights for organizations formulating or revising remote
work strategies. By focusing on these four variables, organizations can:

• Recognize how different remote structures influence employee output.

• Understand the psychological pathways (e.g., intrinsic motivation) that mediate this
influence.
• Determine under what cultural conditions remote work is most effective.
• Develop tailored policies that enhance motivation and maintain high productivity across
teams.

Studying the effect of remote work on employee productivity and engagement is important for
organizations that aim to maximize their workforce performance and are adopting remote or
hybrid work models. Understanding the challenges and advantages associated with remote work
will help organizations in developing strategies for effectively managing the workforce and
maintaining efficiency.

Aims/Methods
A mixed-methods approach will be employed:
• Quantitative Analysis
• Survey data to measure remote work structures, intrinsic motivation (e.g., using the
Work Preference Inventory), and employee productivity KPIs.
• Moderation and mediation analysis using structural equation modeling (SEM) or
regression frameworks to test the role of intrinsic motivation and organizational
culture.
• Qualitative Analysis:
 • In-depth interviews with remote employees and team managers to understand
perceived motivational drivers and cultural influences.
• Case studies of companies with differing organizational cultures and remote
policies to observe variation in outcomes.
Data will be collected from multiple industries to ensure diversity in organizational culture
and work models, enabling more generalizable insights. To compare remote and in-office
teams quantitatively, we will examine productivity KPIs, job completion rates, system
usage data, and communication patterns. Qualitatively, we will record case studies on
teamwork, watch the dynamics of virtual meetings, and perform in-depth interviews with
managers and remote workers. Project management system performance measurements,
employee questionnaires, time logs, communication platform analytics, and managerial
assessments will all be included in the data collection process.

Research Objectives

We shall analyze the impact of remote work on employee productivity and engagement, to help
organizations make optimal remote work policies.
First of all, we shall establish a relation between employee productivity and remote work. We
need to find out how different work models affect employee performance and motivation.
Secondly, we need to study team collaboration in virtual dynamics and how remote work affects
communication. After that, the last objective of our research would be to develop
recommendations for organizations so that they can form optimal remote work policies.

Research Questions

1. How does remote work affect employee productivity compared to in-office work?
2. What are the main challenges employees face in remote work environments?
3. ⁠How do digital communication tools influence engagement and collaboration in remote
teams?
 4. What role does organizational culture play in maintaining employee motivation while
working remotely?
5. What strategies can businesses implement to improve productivity and engagement in
remote work settings?

Conclusion

By concentrating on remote work arrangements (IV), employee efficiency (DV), internal

motivation (MV), and organizational climate (ModV), this study seeks to fill a crucial void in
organizational behavior research. The results will assist managers in crafting impactful, research-
backed remote work approaches that enhance both productivity and mental wellness.

References
• Alto. (n.d.). The undeniable data behind productivity and effectiveness in the office vs.
remote work. Retrieved from https://www.goalto.io/blog/the-undeniable-data-behind-
productivity-and-effectiveness-in-office-vs-remote-work
• Harter, J. (2023, May 8). Are remote workers and their organizations drifting apart?
Gallup. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/509759/remote-workers-
organizations-drifting-apart.aspx
• Pabilonia, S. W., & Redmond, J. J. (2024, October). The rise in remote work since the
pandemic and its impact on productivity. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-13/remote-work-productivity.htm
• Psico Smart. (2023, September 14). The impact of remote work on employee engagement
metrics: Insights from survey tools. Retrieved from https://psico-
smart.com/en/blogs/blog-the-impact-of-remote-work-on-employee-engagement-metrics-
insights-from-survey-tools-162014