WORK AUTONOMY AND CAREER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES IN REMOTE AND OFFICE WORK SETTINGS: EVIDENCE FROM IT PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

This study develops an integrative theoretical framework explaining how work autonomy mediates and moderates the relationship between remote/hybrid work arrangements and perceived career growth opportunities among IT professionals. Drawing from Self-Determination Theory, Job Characteristics Model, Person-Environment Fit, and Signaling Theory, the model identifies work autonomy—across location, time, and task dimensions—as the critical mechanism linking work setting configurations to career advancement perceptions, rather than physical location alone. A 2×2 Remote Work Autonomy–Career Growth Matrix delineates four configurations: (1) high remote intensity/high autonomy (optimal growth), (2) high remote intensity/low autonomy (stagnation), (3) low remote intensity/high autonomy (robust advancement), and (4) low remote intensity/low autonomy (demotivation). Five testable propositions specify direct, moderating, buffering, and mediating effects of autonomy on career perceptions. Theoretical contributions resolve inconsistencies in remote work literature by transcending binary location comparisons and emphasizing configuration-specific dynamics applicable beyond IT to knowledge-intensive professions. Practical implications guide IT professionals in prioritizing autonomy when evaluating opportunities and advise organizations to redesign hybrid policies, outcome-based evaluation systems, and inclusive career structures to mitigate proximity bias and support equitable advancement. Future empirical research should validate these propositions through multi-method designs across diverse organizational and cultural contexts.