Se lavoro da remoto, mi trasferisco. Una analisi sulle intenzioni di mobilità dei lavoratori ibridi attraverso i dati Inapp-Plus

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic was a global field experiment that saw a significant increase in hybrid work. In this organizational mode, employees perform their tasks fully or partially from a location other than the predefined workplace. In Italy, after the first lockdown, the forms and spread of hybrid work were influenced by national policies, and corporate strategies, and were concentrated in specific productive sectors. In the Italian case, the proportion of remote employees 19 rose from 11% pre-pandemic to 40% at the height of the health crisis in 2020. As the country gradually returned to the "new normal," the percentage of workers continuing to work remotely, even partially, was 33% in 2021. The national debate primarily focuses on working conditions and the relationship between remote work and work-life balance. In contrast, the study and analysis of the socio-spatial implications of this mode of work remain limited. This contribution aims to analyze the relationship between performing a teleworkable job, even partially, and the intention to move to a small town or an isolated location in contact with nature. For example, some workers, particularly knowledge workers, chose to relocate to suburban and peripheral areas, taking advantage of second homes or more affordable housing options. Some studies regarding the Italian case refer to “South-working” when residential choices fall on locations in the south and inland areas. The analysis was carried out using data from the 2021 wave of the Inapp-Plus Survey, on a sample of 45,000 individuals aged 18 to 74. The results show a heterogeneous picture of the characteristics of "hybrid" workers who express a willingness to move. The propensity is higher among men, but the lower mobility intention among women is influenced by the fact that they have more often worked in low-quality organizational contexts, especially in the public sector, where the ability to adapt to change and innovate has been less coordinated and managed.