The elusive emotional bond at the hybrid workplace: Investigating the role of horizontal and vertical communication satisfaction

Author : Ranjan Kumar

Abstract :Alarmed by lower employee engagement, and reduced sense of belonging and loyalty as unintended fallouts of remote working, organizations are shifting to hybrid work model (HWM). This research examines the impact of horizontal (HCS) and vertical communication satisfaction (VCS) on the emotional attachment of hybrid employees with their work and organization. A structural model with four constructs – HCS, VCS, work engagement (WE), and affective commitment (AC) – was validated using data from 312 hybrid employees working with European multinational companies (MNCs) in India. Findings established the structural model’s explanatory and predictive power and identified several vertical and horizontal communication gaps at hybrid workplaces.

Keywords :Hybrid work model, Work engagement, Affective commitment, Horizontal communication satisfaction, Vertical communication satisfaction

Conference Name :International Conference on Business and Commerce Management (ICBCM-25)

Conference Place Geneva, Switzerland

Conference Date 10th Sep 2025