Big five traits and self-determination in preferences for working in person: the moderating role of communication overload
Wenrong Cui et al.
Abstract
Purpose This study examines how Big Five traits and self-determination needs influence employees' return-to-office preferences after mandatory remote work, and how communication overload (CO) moderates these relationships. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 301 full-time US employees was analyzed using hierarchical regression and PROCESS moderation models. Findings Extraversion and relatedness related to in-person preference, while conscientiousness, autonomy and competence favored remote work. CO moderated several personality and self-determination traits, such that higher CO generally weakened or reversed the associations with in-person workplace preference, generally bolstering remote work preferences. Originality/value This study integrates personality psychology, self-determination theory and CO to explain workplace preferences. It reveals how overload conditions alter trait-based predictions, offering practical insights for managing common hybrid work environments. Findings contribute a novel perspective on digital-era workplace behavior, emphasizing the need for tailored communication and organizational flexibility.
Evidence weight
Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40
| F · citation impact | 0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20 |
| M · momentum | 0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07 |
| V · venue signal | 0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03 |
| R · text relevance † | 0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20 |
† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.