What facilitates and hinders remote e-workers’ psychological detachment from work? A systematic review

Purpose Psychological detachment from work is a critical aspect of employee recovery. However, only recently has attention turned to psychological detachment within remote e-work settings. Compared to office-based workers, remote e-workers face a greater lack of physical separation between work and home, making it more challenging to establish clear boundaries and consequently, to psychologically detach from work. This systematic review synthesises existing evidence on factors that facilitate or hinder psychological detachment among remote e-workers, with the aim of informing organisational practices that support employee wellbeing in remote work contexts. Design/methodology/approach Following PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review includes 22 empirical studies employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Findings The review identifies work characteristics, behaviours and personal factors that influence psychological detachment in remote work settings, demonstrating that antecedents of detachment differ meaningfully from those observed in office-based work. Unique work characteristics (e.g. professional isolation) and individual resources (e.g. self-regulation) emerged as particularly salient. The review also differentiates between boundary management strategies, offering a more nuanced account of how boundary practices may support or hinder detachment. Finally, the review reveals a gap in the literature when it comes to understanding the processes underlying psychological detachment among remote e-workers, pointing to the need for more rigorous research designs. Practical implications Findings may be important for organisational practitioners, to learn evidence-based recommendations on how to facilitate this vital recovery experience. Originality/value This review provides one of the first comprehensive syntheses of factors influencing psychological detachment specifically in remote e-work settings.