| Abstract [eng] |
This Master’s thesis examines the impact of autonomy and remote work on employee loyalty, focusing on the mediating role of organizational engagement among information technology (IT) professionals. The expansion of remote and hybrid work models has transformed work design in the IT sector, increasing the importance of autonomy and flexibility while intensifying challenges related to employee retention. As IT organizations continue to face high turnover rates, understanding the mechanisms that maintain employee loyalty has become increasingly important. The aim of this study is to analyze how autonomy and remote work influence employee loyalty and to determine whether organizational engagement mediates these relationships. The research is grounded in Self-Determination Theory and Social Exchange Theory, which explain how supportive work conditions enhance engagement and encourage employee attitudes such as commitment and loyalty. A quantitative research design was conducted using a survey-based methodology. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to IT professionals in remote or hybrid work arrangements. A total of 184 responses were collected, mainly from respondents based in Lithuania and Germany. Established and validated measurement scales were used to assess constructs such as autonomy, organizational engagement, and employee loyalty, while remote work was measured as the proportion of working time spent remotely. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS, including descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and regression-based mediation analysis using the Hayes PROCESS macro. The results indicate that autonomy is a strong positive predictor of both organizational engagement and employee loyalty. Organizational engagement was found to partially mediate the relationship between autonomy and employee loyalty, suggesting that autonomy contributes to loyalty both directly and indirectly through enhanced engagement. In contrast, remote work showed a small negative effect on organizational engagement and did not have a direct effect on employee loyalty. However, organizational engagement fully mediated the relationship between remote work and employee loyalty, indicating that remote work influences loyalty only through its impact on engagement. The study contributes to existing literature by highlighting organizational engagement as a key mechanism linking flexible work arrangements and job design to loyalty outcomes in the IT sector. From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that organizations should combine autonomy and remote work policies with engagement-focused practices in order to effectively retain IT professionals. |
