Author ORCID Identifier
Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
DBA
College
College of Business and Economics
Department
Management
Committee Chair
Christian Schaupp
Committee Co-Chair
Elizabeth Vitullo
Committee Member
Jeffrey Houghton
Committee Member
Daniel Bonneau
Abstract
The widespread adoption of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered traditional workplace arrangements. As organizations increasingly implement RTO mandates, questions have emerged about how these changes affect employee well-being and turnover intentions. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources framework, this study examined the relationship between RTO mandates and two employee outcomes: employee well-being and turnover intention. The study also tested whether work engagement mediated these relationships and whether perceived organizational support and work stressors moderated the relationship between RTO mandates and work engagement.
A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from 229 U.S. employees working either fully remote or in person due to a mandatory RTO policy. Participants were recruited through the Prolific research platform. The model was analyzed using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 10) with 5,000 bootstrap samples.
Results indicated that RTO mandate status did not significantly predict employee well-being, turnover intention, or work engagement. However, work engagement was positively associated with employee well-being and negatively associated with turnover intention. Perceived organizational support was associated with higher engagement and well-being, whereas work stressors were related to lower engagement and higher turnover intention. In addition, the effect of perceived organizational support on employee well-being was stronger among employees under RTO mandates than among those without mandates, indicating a conditional effect of support on well-being depending on RTO status. Overall, the findings suggest that employee outcomes may depend more on organizational context than on RTO mandates themselves.
Recommended Citation
Nelson, Charlotte Renee, "Back to the Office or Out the Door: The Impact of Return-To-Office Mandates on Employee Well-Being and Turnover Intention" (2026). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 13371.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/13371