Techno-challenge and hindrance demands: A diary study on their impact on well-being and proactive vitality management in a sample of remote workers

In remote work environments, the constant interaction with technology presents advantages and drawbacks. Nevertheless, most of the literature has primarily focused on the negative consequences of techno-demands, overlooking their potential benefits to employee’s well-being and discretionary behaviors. This study aims to integrate the challenge–hindrance stressors model with job demands–resources theory by examining how distinct techno-related demands—techno-challenge and techno-hindrance demands—differently affect remote workers’ work-related well-being (i.e., work engagement and exhaustion) and proactive vitality management. Data were collected from 99 remote workers who completed daily online questionnaires for 10 consecutive workdays (779 data points). The hypotheses were tested through multilevel mediation analysis. The model shows that techno-challenge demands increase the use of proactive self-regulation strategies, such as proactive vitality management, by incentivizing work engagement. Conversely, techno-hindrance demands lead to greater exhaustion, reducing the likelihood of engaging in proactive vitality management strategies. The results highlight the dual nature of techno-related demands in remote work settings, showing both motivational and energy-depleting processes. These insights offer practical implications for managing remote work environments and suggest avenues for future research.