Telework, Social Isolation and Job Satisfaction: A Moderated Mediation Model based on Perceived Organizational Performance

Abstract

How does telework intensity shape employee job satisfaction, and through what mechanism? This paper puts forward a theoretical framework in which perceived social isolation operates as the central mediator and perceived organizational performance as the moderating condition. Drawing on a systematic review of 102 studies published between 2014 and 2024, we map the main scientific trends surrounding the ambivalent effects of intensive telework, with particular attention to the negative psychosocial consequences tied to isolation. The conceptual model we propose—still to be tested empirically—holds that social isolation reduces job satisfaction, and that this effect weakens when perceived organizational performance is high, through managerial support, reliable digital tools, and organizational clarity. Beyond its theoretical contribution, the framework points toward concrete managerial implications and outlines clear directions for future telework research.