The team from the Universitat de Barcelona (Rita Berger and Jan Philipp Czakert) contributed as a partner within the BRAVE-WOW Project to the symposium “Decent Work: Current Challenges” of the International Congress of Applied Psychology in July 2026. Their presentation on decent work under remote working conditions and its impact on employee wellbeing was facilitated by the symposium chairs Leonor Pais (Universidade de Coimbra) and Nuno Rebelo dos Santos (University of Évora).
After the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working practices accelerated worldwide. While remote work offers opportunities for greater flexibility, it also raises new challenges concerning employees’ wellbeing and the balance between work and nonwork roles. Drawing on the International Labour Organization’s concept of decent work, the presentation and previous study focused on two key dimensions: working time and workload related to Work-Life-Flow (WLF), health and safety and employee wellbeing (EWB).
To better understand these dimensions, the researchers conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines. The review examined 27 studies published between 2020 and 2021 that investigated the relationship between WLF and EWB in remote work-from-home settings before and during the pandemic. The analysis was grounded in the Human System Audit and the IGLO Model, while also drawing on established theories including the Job Demands-Resources Model, Role Theory, Work-Family Spillover Theory, and Boundary Theory.
The findings reveal that the integration of work and personal life roles is one of the most frequently reported stressors in remote work contexts. Increased work-nonwork interference can negatively affect both work-life flow and employee wellbeing. However, the review also identified several protective factors and resources that can mitigate these challenges. At the organisational level, autonomy, schedule flexibility, and greater control over working time emerged as important resources. At the individual level, effective boundary management strategies were associated with higher wellbeing and better work-life flow.
The study further emphasises the need for additional research on psychosocial processes and resources at the leadership and team levels. Such knowledge can support organisations in creating healthier and more sustainable remote working environments that promote decent work and employee wellbeing.
These findings contribute to the broader objectives of the BRAVE-WOW project by advancing knowledge about how organizations can foster decent work practices and support workers’ wellbeing in evolving forms of work.