Remote working, sustainability and firm performance: an Jonas-inspired research

Environmental sustainability is a key issue in contemporary production processes and organizational discourse. This study aims to understand the impact of remote working in mountain and inland areas on business performance and the environmental sustainability of the analyzed areas. Additionally, this study explores how these variables or their combination can contribute to benefiting work organization, career perspectives, and the creativity and quality of life of workers, all from a perspective inspired by Hans Jonas’ call for an ethics for the technological age. Numerous studies have indicated that while remote working allows individuals to benefit from increased work flexibility, promoting individual control over organizational activities, it can simultaneously weaken interpersonal relationships with colleagues and supervisors, leading to professional and spatial isolation. The harmonious growth of a working community requires multidimensional approaches that can rethink the possibility of supporting creative and critical thinking processes, even when work is primarily centered on remote working. More specifically, this analysis also aims to comprehend the impact of remote working on working methods, career prospects and the quality of life of employees. It seeks to explore how these variables, individually or in combination, can contribute to enhancing the performance of the company and the environmental sustainability of work processes. The method chosen is a Structural Equation Model (SEM) conducted on a questionnaire administered to Italian workers from mountain areas.