Unpacking Remote Work: How Perceived Isolation Mediates the Link Between Remote Work Intensity and Job Satisfaction Across the Age Spectrum

Kruis, Daphne (2026) Unpacking Remote Work: How Perceived Isolation Mediates the Link Between Remote Work Intensity and Job Satisfaction Across the Age Spectrum. Master thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift toward remote work, increasing the need to understand how remote work arrangements affect employees’ socio-emotional experiences and job attitudes. This issue is particularly relevant in an increasingly age-diverse workforce, where employees’ needs and experiences may differ across career stages. This study examined the relationships between remote work intensity (RWI), perceived isolation, and job satisfaction, and whether these associations varied by age. Using survey data from 1,089 employees of a Dutch university, curvilinear regression analyses, mediation analyses, and age-based moderation tests were conducted. Results showed that RWI was unrelated to both perceived isolation and job satisfaction. In contrast, perceived isolation exhibited a strong curvilinear negative relationship with job satisfaction, with disproportionately steeper declines at higher levels of isolation. Age moderated these effects: younger employees reported slightly higher levels of perceived isolation, whereas the negative association between perceived isolation and job satisfaction was somewhat stronger among older employees. These findings indicate that in the post-COVID remote workplace, employees’ socio-emotional experiences—rather than the extent of remote work itself—are central to well-being. Accordingly, organizations should prioritize reducing perceived isolation and tailor interventions to age-related needs.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master)
Supervisor name:	Scheibe, S.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP) [Master Psychology]
Date Deposited:	29 Jan 2026 10:40
Last Modified:	29 Jan 2026 10:40
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/6099

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