Is working remotely counterproductive? Forging connections between counterproductive work behavior and remote work
Book Chapter
Gajendran, RS, Her Da, Y. (2025). Is working remotely counterproductive? Forging connections between counterproductive work behavior and remote work
. 336-352. 10.4337/9781035306671.00027
Gajendran, RS, Her Da, Y. (2025). Is working remotely counterproductive? Forging connections between counterproductive work behavior and remote work
. 336-352. 10.4337/9781035306671.00027
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote work. Despite the benefits and convenience that it offers to workers, working remotely has been linked to counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) in scholarly discourse and anecdotal reports. More recently, for some organizational leaders (e.g., Elon Musk), merely working remotely is viewed as engaging in a CWB. However, theory and research linking remote work to CWBs is limited. In this chapter, we attempt to build bridges between the literatures on remote work and CWBs. We expand the typology of CWBs to account for two key features of remote workâspatial separation and mediated communication. Then we address potential issues around measuring CWBs, taking into account remote work. Finally, we develop theory linking remote work to CWBs by considering it as an antecedent and as a potential contextual variable. Our theorizing paints a nuanced picture of the implications of remote work for CWBs in organizations.
