Development and Validation of a New Scale for Measuring Smart/Remote Working Benefits and Disadvantages

The aim of the present study is to develop a new ad hoc scale to measure the benefits and criticalities of smart/remote working, exploring and validating, through a double study (exploratory and confirmatory), the factorial structure and the main psychometric properties. The changing work environment has led organisations and companies to move in the direction of digital transition. This process has been accelerated by the pandemic, which has created a 'forced' pressure to do so, resulting in massive recourse to the practice of remote working. In order to avoid the spread of the virus and protect the health of citizens, governments have instructed employers to use work from home. In many cases, workers did not have time to prepare themselves for this change in organisational style and methods. The existing literature highlights, in this different way of working, benefits (e.g. better work-family balance, more autonomy) and criticalities (e.g. higher workload due to technologies, lack of sociality). A 14- item ad-hoc scale was developed starting from the literature and a pilot qualitative study. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on a sample of 300 workers (57.5% male, 42.5% female, mean age 39.7, SD = 12.7) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis on 677 workers (45.8% male, 54.2% female, mean age 39.5, SD = 12.3), all experienced during COVID-19 a period of smart /remote working. Parametrical Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used. The psychometric robustness of the model was assessed through bootstrap validation (5000 resamples), fit indices testing and measurement of factorial invariance (by gender and type of organisation). In line with the findings in the literature, the EFA reveals the bifactorial nature of the scale. In confirmatory terms, the model shows good fit indices, with χ2 = 313.61 (.000), CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92, SRMR = 0.06, RMSEA = 0.07 (CI = 0.06; 0.08), the bootstrap validation reports statistically significant saturations, excellent reliability indices, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Measurement invariance is verified for gender and type of organisation. The generalisability of the results is undermined by convenience sampling, selfreport measures and the use of parametrical methods of analysis. The scale, anchored in recent literature studies, has made it possible to identify, in operational terms, the benefits and disadvantages associated with smart/remote working. For this reason, it can be a streamlined and psychometrically valid tool to identify at an early-stage possible difficulties arising from smart/remote working, acting promptly, and at the same time positive aspects to be implemented to improve organisational well-being. Based on existing literature, the ad hoc scale allows to investigate the positive and negative consequences of smart/remote working. The tool, therefore, assumes a crucial role especially in a period still characterised by changes resulting from the recent pandemic. Moreover, with a view to a gradual return to normality, considering that several organisations have already considered the idea of resorting to remote working by virtue of the economic savings and psychological advantages for workers, the questionnaire may be a valid way for researchers and practitioners to investigate the influences of this way of working on the contexts of the subjects, whether positive or negative, and, if necessary, to monitor the effects and act promptly.