Approaches to remote work design in public administrations: an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study
Simone Donati, Salvatore Zappala', Ferdinando ToscanoPurpose
This study examines the components that public administrations consider when designing remote work and whether these components combine into distinct organisational configurations.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. The empirical material consisted of 30 Integrated Plans of Activities and Organization (PIAOs), the strategic planning document through which Italian public administrations formalise remote work arrangements. A qualitative content analysis, based on Parker and Grote's (2022) four-component work design model, identified the key components of remote work design. These findings informed a cluster analysis used to identify distinct remote work design configurations and examine their association with organisational size, sector and geographical location.
Findings
Results suggest that public administrations design remote work through a combination of strategic, regulatory, technological, HR-related and work design components, including eligibility criteria, working conditions, coordination mechanisms and performance monitoring. Four distinct remote work design configurations emerged. Of the organisational characteristics examined, only geographical location was significantly associated with cluster membership, suggesting that territorial context is related to remote work design.
Originality/value
Building on a sociotechnical systems perspective, this study extends Parker and Grote's (2022) work design model to the public administration context. It reframes remote work as a structured organisational configuration embedded in strategic planning rather than merely as a flexible work arrangement.