This thesis examines individual psychological factors and strategies that enable employees to successfully work from home (WFH). It offers two studies that advance the understanding of this area.
The first study, a systematic literature review (SLR), followed best practice SLR methodology to explore individual psychological factors that enable employees to successfully WFH, with an additional focus on how ‘successful’ WFH is defined in the literature. Definitions of successful WFH ranged from performance to wellbeing outcomes of WFH. Similarly, a wide variety of individual psychological factors were explored across studies within the SLR. Whilst there appeared to be promising evidence for the role of individual psychological factors overall in WFH outcomes,
none of the thirteen studies identified in the SLR focused specifically on early careers employees. The SLR additionally showed that the literature was dominated by quantitative methodologies, largely missing out the rich, subjective experience of WFH, and there was limited consideration of theory. To address the limitations identified in the SLR, the second study used a
qualitative design to examine individual psychological factors and strategies that enable early careers employees to successfully WFH, within the context of Person Environment Fit and Job Crafting theories. It offers Person-Environment Fit as a useful definition of successful WFH. Results indicated a range of individual
psychological factors or strategies that early careers employees who identify as having a good ‘fit’ with WFH have or use. Taken together, the results of the first and second study respond to calls for an increased focus on the role of the individual in successful WFH, demonstrating promising evidence for the role of individual psychological factors in successful WFH. Implications for theory, research and practice are discussed.