The Moderating Effect of Management Polychronicity and Knowledge Sharing on Career Sustainability in the Work-from-Anywhere New Normal—From a Social Exchange Theory Perspective

Abstract

The unprecedented global meltdown resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, exacerbated by the rise of political conflicts between leading world economies, has caused the world to drift into a new paradigm with abrupt changes of traditional modi operandi across the landscape. A significant structural change, “Work-From-Anywhere (WFX)”, though well known for its flexibility and other advantages, constitutes a serious barrier to the socialization and knowledge sharing (KS) needed in organizational management and career sustainability (CS). This study aims to thoroughly investigate how strategic management structures like management “Polychronicity” (MP) can dynamically recalibrate the mediation effects of KS dispositions on the relationship between WFX and CS. Our results reveal that WFX, due to the distancing component, considerably undermines teamwork, accountability, and supervision, promoting individualism and isolation among workers. Moreover, MP moderates the effects of WFX inconsistencies on CS, and this is achieved even better through KS. This paper is a landmark contribution to the literature on WFX and CS, leading the way to the empirical investigation of the WFX–KS–CS mechanism and a quantitative evaluation of the interactive effects among major elements of the social exchange (SE) context.

1. Introduction

Unquestionably, technological advances like cloud computing and virtual reality had already facilitated a level of remote working even before the COVID-19 meltdown, but the devastating effects of the global crisis forced businesses, organizations, and governments to proliferate and accelerate measures of work from a distance (WFD), work from home (WFH), hybrid working (HW), and/or WFX, where almost every worker had to take crash courses in remote working. The Russo-Ukrainian crisis and its collateral political and socioeconomic conflicts have added to this global turbulence, causing the world to drift into a new normal with employers and governments compelled to consider long-term WFX reform options [1]. The WFX organizational structure, in the context of this paper, is a flexible yet convoluted work arrangement combining options of working remotely and commuting to the work premises, built into a defined formation specific to the organization. To a large extent, the flexibility of WFX offers some advantages both to individuals and organizations; even though the universal uniformity of this nascent work approach is still questionable at this stage, there is an obvious untapped positive potential to be studied and deployed for CS across the landscape in the new normal [2]. The value of HRM policy support is demonstrated through uniform standard principles for workers’ collaboration, openness, interactions, and community, in conformity with career types, target results, and resources.

Recent studies show evidence of the redefinition of HR principle reconfiguration and knowledge management (KM) in the post-pandemic remote working context. As it were, HR dispositions in the new context demand a reconsideration of the KM mechanism at the individual and organizational levels [3,4,5]. Nevertheless, the coupling effect of the post-pandemic KM arrangements and the distancing component of WFX undeniably act as restrictions to the knowledge sharing (KS) advantages of worker collaboration, openness, interactions, and socialization. According to [6], these restrictions often give rise to the knowledge iceberg phenomenon, where the KS barriers become an encouragement for knowledge hoarding. These barriers are more disadvantageous to tacit knowledge dissemination among workers, which consists more of sharing individual experiences [7], compared to explicit knowledge that could be provided through interaction channels like workshops and forums [8]. Without a distinction between these two types of knowledge, the distance limitation identified with WFX is detrimental to knowledge creativity and innovation at the organizational level [9]. In this vein, we are of the view that, despite the advantages and prospects of WFX culture, its distancing effect is a considerable restriction to KS, with negative consequences on career productivity and sustainability.

However, the sparsity of the findings needed to understand these novel career mutations becomes more severe and complex where conventional career development models intertwine with new HRM variances, such that the critical role of KM in career development in the new normal remains a virgin field [10] that needs close attention and deeper investigation across all disciplines. Prior studies like [11], which explicitly explored the collaborative dimensions of electronic media for KS, reveal the lack of theoretical background to support these discussions. Therefore, in this case, the social exchange theory (SET) was adopted as the underpinning to study the impact of KS in promoting interpersonal interactions among workers in the WFX new normal. Understanding and quantifying the options and potentials of the new organizational cultures is therefore essential for the design and implementation of infrastructure to support WFX more appropriately and effectively. We argue that fundamental knowledge repositioning is needed to investigate the KS–CS mechanism in the WFX context [12]. In line with this, we propose a systematic probe into the mediating effect of KS on the relationship between WFX and CS, and then we investigate the intervention of MP as a dynamic organizational disposition to remedy the unpredictable inconsistencies of the new normal workscape [6]. This paper is novel because of its contribution to the literature on SET, KM, HRM, and CS.

Then, the theoretical background of this research is developed in line with the proposed hypotheses. The following section is the elaboration of the research methodology used for the empirical study. The findings of the analysis are then described, before the discussion of the potential implications for the future.

2. Theoretical Setting

2.1. Work from Anywhere

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations, businesses, and governments have adopted and maintained various forms of remote working [13]. The WFX organizational culture, which became widely adopted during and after the pandemic, has significantly transformed the mode of operation of career development and career management [14]. Here, we refer to WFX as the organizational disposition that allows workers to interchange between the employer’s designated place of work, home, a work hub, and a place of choice (depending on the circumstances), with implications on the time of work. Thus, WFX can be defined as a tech-enabled, unconventional working arrangement capitalizing on a mix of online, offline, and hybrid work, with distance flexibility and human resource management agility [14]. WFX, though characterized by flexibility, retains an identity specific to each organizational culture. Despite the prevalence of teleworking and home-based work being enhanced by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, even many giant tech organizations still maintain a combination and/or rotation of working inside and outside the job premises [14,15].

For employees, this arrangement could mean flexibility and the ability to balance work and personal activities more effectively. It also enables them to save resources by not commuting, gives them more control over their work environment, and helps them achieve a better work output. For employers, the work-from-anywhere model has reduced costs associated with office space and equipment. It has also expanded the pool of talent that they can access, as they are no longer restricted by geographic location [15]. For society, this decentralization is strategic for transportation decongestion, environmental challenges, and overcrowding of public amenities.

However, on the one hand, it requires the provision and availability of telecommunications equipment and training by the employer, and on the other hand, the acquisition and constant adaptability of the technical abilities of the employee. It also requires a relatively important emphasis on the individual’s level of self-motivation, level of education, communication abilities, and preferences. Moreover, employees are often exposed to a feeling of isolation and disconnection from colleagues, and they may also struggle to switch off from work, leading to burnout [16]. Employers also face different degrees of difficulty in managing remote teams effectively and maintaining the company culture needed to improve productivity and CS.

Overall, in the post-pandemic era, the WFX culture remains one of the remarkable novel variables in the organizational management and career development models in the post-pandemic new normal; therefore, it is important to develop effective strategies and policies to absorb the unforeseeable mutations and reorganize the management dispositions necessary for career adaptability and sustainability in the new era.

2.2. Knowledge Sharing

Established as a strategic resource for firms, knowledge is defined as tested, proven, and validated information [17]. According to Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), knowledge is classified as tacit and/or explicit. Besides, Polanyi (2009) explains tacit knowledge as that which is not easy to formalize or transmit because it is more personal and context-specific, while explicit knowledge is transmittable by information transfer through established structures of an organization. From this perspective, explicit knowledge can exist in symbolic or written form. However, since organizational knowledge is generally in the possession of individuals, the fundamental management challenge for organizations is to identify means to translate individual base knowledge into corporate knowledge, especially in the case of remote working, where the distance between workers and between workers and management constitutes a barrier to knowledge flow. Hence, how to establish strong relationships and knowledge transfer among team members has become a hot topic in the new normal WFX career domain. For this research, we conceive KS to be the actual degree of mutual knowledge sharing from one worker to fellow workers for the accomplishment of tasks during teleworking. Based on the social exchange theory, this study adopts KS as an indispensable factor needed for productivity in the WFX new normal.

2.3. The Social Exchange Theory

Fundamentally, social interaction is based upon the principles of equity and reciprocity, underpinned by relatively equitable KS in the long term [18]. Consequently, the rate of the social relationship determines the degree of reciprocity [19]. This implies that well-rooted relationships promote mutual trust and respect [20], which encourages workers to promote KS through positive reciprocity [21]. Therefore, from a socio-psychological theory perspective, the SET provides the foundations for a model that deals with productivity resulting from strong teamwork based on interpersonal interactions and communication [22,23]. From its original economic interpretation, the theory perceives interpersonal exchanges from the cost–benefit angle, equating social interactions to economic exchanges, only that the formal is the business of intangible social norms and values that might not be based on explicit rules or contracts, like respect, honor, friendship, and reciprocity. These two perspectives both assume that one’s exchange behavior is a direct result of equivalent rewards obtained at the end of the transaction. Thus, reciprocity is based on an individual’s desire or need to keep the interaction corporately beneficial for the other party as well [24]. Taken together, this study uses social exchange and reciprocity to elucidate how workers share knowledge to accomplish team tasks when working from anywhere. Therefore, we based our adoption of the SET for this discussion on the aforementioned understandings to investigate the knowledge-sharing behavior among workers, mostly connected virtually.

2.4. Multi-Dimensional Nature of Management Polychronicity

Polychronicity, considered first as an individual’s competence to handle more than one task at the same time, is also adopted as a management concept that promotes the performance of several tasks concurrently rather than executing one task at a time. MP encourages workers to handle different tasks simultaneously; therefore, workers with polychronic competencies constantly try new methods to accomplish their tasks. Here, polychronicity is referred to as not only placing attention on achieving multiple tasks at once, but also the ability to switch between tasks, venues, and times as the WFX conditions demand [25]. Thus, organizations with a polychronic management culture will naturally stimulate employees to multitask, even with the WFX approach. Undoubtedly, with the capability to remedy WFX discrepancies, MP proposes more productive results ahead of traditional management structures. Therefore, employees’ career performance in the WFX contest is directly correlated with management’s promotion of polychronicity [26]. Arguably, with such relevance for efficiency in new working regimes, MP is a guarantee for career achievement in the WFX place–time–task unpredictability [27]. Meanwhile, individual employee polychronicity is also vital for promoting sustainable career adaptability by changing work behaviors from the conventional approach [28]. Deploying MP as a backup creates a more secure platform for CS, thus making it possible to surmount the unpredictability of WFX. Moreover, the time–space variations and the job workload nature of the WFX structural changes, as the major dilemmas for traditional management models, are perfectly adaptable to the polychronic management structure for maximum job performance and career sustainability.

According to the literature, there are two common ways to alternate between activities within a given timeframe [29]: either sequential order, alternating by interleaving intermittently; or in a simultaneous order, i.e., a concurrent and overlaid alternation. These two approaches correspond to series and parallel processes, respectively [30]. This study will also, albeit only briefly, consider a single activity simultaneously fulfilling two purposes. As illustrated by Figure 1, polychronicity can differ along two dimensions: the proportion of resources allocated (rA) and time allocated (T) to a given activity A, where the resources allocated are configured and alternated over time. When allocated resources are shared between two activities A and B at time ti, the linear equation can be written as rAi + rBi = 1.

For simplicity, resources are treated as rigidly bounded across tasks, under the assumption that the total amount of resources assigned for the activities at time T is shared in a polychronic pattern (rAi), as seen in Figure 1. Holding the assumption that activities A and B are allocated the total resources available within the given times, the resources allocated to activity B will be written as (rB =1 − rA). Generally, the share of resources is defined by the continuous configurations rA(t) and rB(t), where the full resources proportionally shared between activities A and B can be written as follows:

$${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{A}}={\int }_0^r{\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{A}}\left(t\right)dt$$

(1)

and

$${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{B}}={\int }_0^r{\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{B}}\left(t\right)dt$$

(2)

R_A + R_B = R_tot = 1

(3)

However, the empirical interpretation is often complex: the availability of resources for task execution is usually made up of different dimensions or types of resources shared in different configurations particular to each activity, but also the execution of one activity with respect to another is dependent on how the two activities use resources assigned for the same or different domains. Wickens (2008) [31], in his classic multiple resource theory, identified four domains (stage, code, modality, and channel) along which resources can differ.

This study conceptualizes the number of resources available as a constellation of n dimensions to reflect that distinct resource domains are not necessarily interchangeable, where resources are the ith element and Di is the number of resources from domain i (i = 1, 2, … n). With the assumption of substitutability, the configuration of possible resource allocation is restricted by the resource(s) assigned. Implicitly, the rise (Δ2 > 0) in the use of resources in one domain causes a drop (Δ1 < 0) in the use of resources in the second domain; similarly, a fall in resource use in one domain increases resource use in the other domain. In a monotasking condition, the total output of an activity A can be expressed as follows:

$${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{A}}^{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{o}}=\mathrm{ʄ}({\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{A}}/\mathrm{c},\mathrm{a},{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{A}}\dots ,\mathrm{etc}.)$$

(4)

where RA is the output function of the resources introduced for activity A, c is the condition, a represents the abilities of each activity’s characteristics, nA is the nature of the activity, and so on. However, if activity A is performed under polychronic conditions, the output will be dependent on the specific polychronic pattern:

$${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{A}}^{\mathrm{p}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{y}}=\mathrm{ʄ}({\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{A}}/\mathrm{c},\mathrm{a},{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{A}},{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{A}},{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{A}\mathrm{B}},{\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{B}}...,\mathrm{e}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{c}.)$$

(5)

Two activities carried out effectively under polychronic conditions are dependent on each other (nA and nB). Features of combinations (nAB), different types of polychronicity such as in the share of resources (RA and RB), and other associated aspects such as individual skills, attitudes, and preferences are described in Figure 1. For a specific polychronic configuration, the rate of efficiency η can be evaluated as the value of the polychronic output over the monochronic output.

$$\mathsf{\eta }=\frac{O_A^{poly}}{O_A^{mono}}$$

(6)

Evidently, the value of η (<, = or >1) depends on a specific polychronic condition, compared to simple a monochronic condition. A normal case of continuous resource allocation to activities A and B over time can be written as the function of rA(t) and rB(t):

$${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{A}}^{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{o}}={\int }_0^1\mathrm{ʄ}\left({\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{A}}\right(\mathrm{t})/\mathrm{c},\mathrm{a},{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{A}}..., etc.)dt$$

(7)

$${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{A}}^{\mathrm{p}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{y}}={\int }_0^1\mathrm{ʄ}\left({\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{A}}\right(\mathrm{t})/\mathrm{c},\mathrm{a};{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{A}};{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{B}};{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{A}\mathrm{B}};{\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{B}}(\mathrm{t})...)dt$$

(8)

The hypothetical output function presented in Figure 2 shows the output function of activity A. Here, the vertical axis is the representation of OA (output) and the function of rA (input) for the monochronic configuration (η = 1). Variations in the output to execute the same activity in polychronic parameters will displace the plot either upward or downward. The upward displacement will be for an efficient polychronic configuration, (η > 1), and the downward movement is when the polychronic configuration is inefficient (η < 1). In summary, all (η > 1) curves represent efficiency scores that graphically lie above (η = 1) the monochronic curve output.

3. Hypothesis Development

3.1. The Effects of WFX Structural Changes on CS

Advanced Mobile Information Technology Devices (MITDs) have enabled work to be performed outside of traditional office settings and during non-standard work hours. Telework, also known as telecommuting, can be defined as a type of work carried out remotely, at a distance, and online through MITDs for work performed outside the employer’s premises. Although several authors [31,32,33] have focused on the definition that links telework with the idea of working from home, teleworking simply involves WFX outside of the employer’s premises; thus, it can occur flexibly from multiple locations with varying frequency using MITDs [24]. Drawing from the pandemic experience, several organizations have acclimated to teleworking management structures. Implicitly, WFX practices fall short of the traditional requirements and standard conditions of an ideal workplace. However, the widespread adoption of flexible WFX arrangements in the post-pandemic era has been fueled by employers’ realization of the potential benefits, such as lower costs, as well as their response to employees’ requirements [9,24]. According to Rupietta and Beckmann (2018) [7,9], employees are able to achieve some liberty in managing their daily lives due to flexible scheduling, which includes both employee and family activities based on their needs, such as sending their children to school or going to the doctor. In line with this arrangement, employees might change their work schedule on a daily or even hourly basis, albeit in breach of the work–family border theory. WFX structural changes need to go along with the work–private life balance as the strong mediator between career flexibility and job satisfaction, commitment, improvement, and performance, thus increasing productivity [34].

Even though studies have found the achievability of the flexibility–achievement balance, [13,35], the majority of organizations frown on the WFX culture. Focused on productivity objectives, many organizations highlight the obstructive effect of distance on interactions that are mandatory for performance at various levels of employment. According to their survey, [36] identified distance as one of the first hindrances to productivity in WFX. The lack of accessibility to a common geographical space during work constitutes a barrier to knowledge flow and necessary productivity. Thus, a physical colleague–colleague and colleague–supervisor interaction has been found to be directly correlated with the rate of work performance [34]. Obviously, the level of contact among the personnel in an organization is a direct determinant of work outcomes, while the absence of opportunities for casual communication with coworkers generates the feeling of disconnection, therefore creating a career fulfillment void [10]. Inevitably, the lack of interactions creates social barriers that make employees hesitant to share their knowledge or ask their peers for help. As a result, remote working decreases organizational networks to a considerable extent, since employees prioritize communication with their close teammates and engage less with colleagues with whom they do not work daily. Furthermore, the presence of communication barriers between departments and teams results in the knowledge iceberg phenomenon, which reduces productivity and stifles innovation through knowledge sharing. Moreover, the adoption of WFX as part of an organizational structure necessitates the employer providing enough technological support to bridge the distance lapses. Therefore, WFX could be considered as a privilege reserved for a section of the workers, such as managers and suitably long-tenured professionals, based on particular circumstances and established trust between employer and employee [37]. Obviously, for WFX to be productive, it requires a specific positioning as part of a well-structured organizational framework. Therefore, we hypothesize the following:

H1. 

WFX negatively relates to CS.

3.2. Mediating Role of KS

KS, as an essential component of KM, aids in transforming individual knowledge into organizational knowledge and enhancing firm performance [6]. However, due to the distance barrier in the new normal, we argue that KS may not directly guarantee productivity [38] but is an undeniable bridge for the information barriers hindering career performance. The distance component of the WFX culture is considered to a principal blocker of firm performance and may mitigate knowledge flow [39,40]. Intuitively, KS is trusted to drive creativity and innovation to achieve higher performance. Studies on career development demonstrate that firms can swiftly grow as a result of successful KS practices through deliberately established knowledge management strategies. Flaws in knowledge systems may be less visible in an office setting, where in-person social interactions naturally bridge the gaps, but in a physically separated remote workplace such weaknesses and inefficiencies become undeniable. According to Ford and Butts (1991) [41], social connection promotes employee harmony and collaborative effort in striving to achieve a more productive and greater interchange of ideas. Isolation and a lack of social engagement may diminish productivity and the sense of belonging. Having teams where there are no actual meetings and communications, for example, leads to a loss of the sense of teamwork [42]. Although the conception of innovative ideas may be of an individual source, innovation (creating and implementing new ideas) calls for a collective effort. The process of information sharing between individuals entails converting an individual’s knowledge into a form that other individuals can understand, absorb, and use [10]. Moreover, tacit and explicit knowledge, the two forms of knowledge, require different KS techniques to transfer knowledge from one individual to another or from one organization to another.

It is well known in the literature that explicit knowledge is relatively more transferable than tacit knowledge [6,41]. As a result, most studies focus either on broad information-sharing behavior or solely on tacit knowledge sharing, since it can be shared through books, manuals, video clips, databases, and expert systems, in addition to traditional teaching. As a result, the KS is beneficial, since it improves employees’ abilities to complete their work more efficiently and in less time, [42]. Hence, knowledge hoarding is a natural hindrance to successful knowledge exchange among individuals in organizations [40]. KS is thought to be the result of employee socialization and dialectic argument [8], and it necessitates face-to-face encounters [34,43]. Furthermore, KS also necessitates organizational encouragement through interaction platforms. This calls for the encouragement of individual communication skills, as well as the establishment of knowledge exchange forums at the various levels of an organization, to promote a pragmatic KS culture in the organization [8]. Therefore, we hypothesize the following:

H2. 

KS mediates the WFX–CS mechanism.

3.3. Mediating Moderating Role of MP

In the seemingly more turbulent post-pandemic era, organizations have been increasingly interested in developing more sustainable career cultures [13,16]. In the WFX context, work arrangements are redesigned to enhance work–life balance and increase work efficiency. Existing analyses for improving work–life balance are conducted through flexible career productivity objectives. Though organizations express hesitancy towards WFX practices, several studies have demonstrated the contribution of KS strategies to career success [5]. Thus, KS can directly enhance performance as well as the work–life balance. Moreover, in the pursuit of lasting security, institutions explore a wide range of managerial structures adaptable to the specific situations at hand. In the case of WFX structural changes, this research proposes MP as a dynamic capacity adequate to harmonize the employee time–space unpredictability. Moreover, organizations’ polychronic management dispositions, paired with KS regimentations, are vital indicators of strategic adaptability to novel career models in the new normal.

Hence, in this study, we propose MP as a symbolic factor to moderate the mediating effect of KS on the WFX–CS interaction (Figure 3); therefore, we hypothesize the following:

H3. 

MP positively moderates the mediating effect of KS on the WFX–CS interaction.

4. Methodology

4.1. Study Background

This research was conceived out of the need to investigate the unprecedented organizational culture disfiguration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was initiated around the middle of the year 2022. Due to the social distancing and traveling restrictions at the time, we based our conclusions on 10 institutions from Yunnan Province that had a combination of onsite, online, and hybrid work. Out of these 10 institutions, there were 4 schools (educational sector), 3 software engineering companies (technology sector), and 3 media houses (telecommunication sector). Each company assigned human resources (HR) managers to help with communication with the participants. The questionnaires were shared by simple random sampling [44]. Prior to the survey proper, an online interview was conducted with several HR managers and some employees in order to verify that our measurements and hypotheses were appropriate and clear. Satisfactorily, their feedback confirmed the logical underpinning of our hypothesized model. Only full-time employees participated in the survey.

We conducted an online survey using an efficient China-based survey platform—Sojump (https://www.wjx.cn/)—simply by sending a QR code to participants through WeChat. At the heading of the questionnaire, clear guidelines guaranteed the participants’ anonymity, and how to address each question was well explained. Additionally, a WeChat group was created for constant explanations and follow-ups.

We endeavored to collect data at two different times in order to reduce all possibilities of common-method variance (CMV) and time-lag criteria [37]. KS and CS were measured at point 1, while WFX and MP were measured at point 2. In total, we obtained usable data from 402 participants, with a 75.5% response rate. The sample comprised 207 women and 195 men, with 30.39% of the workers being 18–24 years old, and most of them had worked at their current job for less than 5 years.

4.2. Measures

Work-from-anywhere (WFX): We measured WFX with reference to [41], using the 11-dimension definition of workers’ experience, including workers’ engagement with work (ENG), performance, productivity, and efficiency (PERF), living situation (WLB), flexibility conditions (FLEX), wellbeing (HEAL), technological layout (TECH), personal styles (PERS), career satisfaction (CAR), subjective gain (SUB), work–life balance (BAL), and organizational and job-related aspects (ORG). For their study, the authors assessed and monitored the respondents over time and provided a complete image of their experience to support decision-making on the best ways to implement or change remote work practices. Furthermore, [38] studied WFX to support the list of 10 measures of WFX, as elaborated in the literature.

Career sustainability (CS): CS, as a dependent variable, is measured with 12 items [6]. The variable is measured with sample items like “My career gives me the hope of a successful prospect”, “My career allows me enough flexibility”, “My career permits me to upgrade my competencies”, and “My career provides me the ability to take in knowledge process information” (Cronbach’s α = 0.946).

Knowledge sharing (KS): The mediating variable KS is regarded as the degree to which colleagues willingly share knowledge among themselves to execute professional tasks [10]. Bock and Kim (2002) revised the test items for KS behavior. We followed [45]’s 11-item scale to measure the perception of the rate of KS between colleagues. These items include “My team like sharing knowledge among colleagues through teamwork” and “My team mates are inclined to help each other no matter the need”, (Cronbach’s α = 0.928).

Management polychronicity (MP): For the moderating variable of polychronicity in top management teams, we used [46]’s scale to measure group polychronicity [47,48,49]. In line with other studies [6,50], MP was measured using a concise 10-item scale. Items on the scale used to measure polychronicity included “My organization encourages workers to do different tasks within a given time” and “Our organization believes people can try several tasks at a time”.

Because workers might choose the midpoint to ensure modesty vis-a-vis their company, a 6-point Likert-type scale from “strongly disagree” to “extremely agree” was used to avoid response bias [8]. To reduce the risk of common-method bias, we placed items of one construct with a separate brief introduction each and emphasized the confidentiality of the responses [44]. According to our preliminary checks, after entering the Likert-type questions in our factor analysis evaluation, no more than 20% of the variance was found within the first factor, suggesting that our setup does not have a common-method bias issue (Cronbach’s α = 0.936).

4.3. Data Analysis

The complexity of the moderated mediation analysis demands a deeper comprehensive examination approach [51]. For one part of the data analysis, partial least squares was used, and then the structural equation evaluation part was conducted with Smart-PLS4. PLS-SEM techniques were used in this process to analyze the reflective and formative model complexities [52]. The PLS-SEM method does not require data assumption, and small sample sizes generally pose no statistical issue [45]. From this point, the validity and reliability techniques were conducted, and the mediation and moderation models were regressed through the hierarchical multiple method [46].

We analyzed model 1, a partial mediation through the direct paths between WFX and CS; model 2, the mediating effect of KS between WFX and CS; and model 3, a full mediation estimation without the straight paths from WFX to CS. We used 1000 bootstraps of the highest likelihood estimation to test the mediating role of KS [53]. Then, the presumed moderated mediating model was estimated. For this, the baseline model, MP-CS, was established from the partial mediation model, to which other constructs were added. From the baseline model, other interactions had not yet been added and were therefore estimated with zero assumption. In subsequent steps, latent interactions were added to estimate the full moderated mediation model. To allow MP to operate as a moderator at the higher level of the mediated interaction, we maintained the WFX–CS link via KS. We calculated the degrees of freedom (df) by estimating the differences between the baseline model, the mediation model, and the moderated mediation models.

4.4. Demographics

Before the detailed statistical analysis, we first present a general overview interpretation of our dataset. From a gender perspective, 48.57% respondents were male whereas 51.43% were female. The demographic analysis of our data shows that most of the participants were between 18 and 25 years old, but most of the management staff ranged between 30 and 34 years of age. In terms of workers’ duration in the current workplace, most workers at the time of the survey had not stayed at their current workplace for a long time: 47.72% of the workers had worked at the same organization for less than 5 years, 24.91% between 6 and 10 years, and 18.52% of the respondents had worked at their current organization for 11–15 years. Only 8.85% had worked for more than 16 years at their current workplace. Unsurprisingly, this trend was completely different for management staff, where the majority of workers had stayed at their workplace for more than 10 years.

5. Results

5.1. Preliminaries

For the data analysis in this study, we used SPSS 4.0 and Smart PLS 4.0 to analyze the data. SPSS was employed to evaluate the demographics, and PLS-SEM was used for reliability and validity, to test some proposed hypotheses, and for the moderated mediation mechanism [54].

5.2. Common-Method Variance

The single-factor method was used for the primary analysis to evaluate the common-method variance. The common-method variance (CMV) was employed for the self-reported data as described in [55]. Essentially, common variance bias when the data are collected with the same method could possibly result in a commonality of relationships between variables. The first exploratory factor analysis revealed that 1.543 of the variances were explained by the first factor, which is lower than the threshold of 3.3. Therefore, we argue that in this case the data do not have a significant common-method bias [50].

5.3. Reliability and Validity

Associated features of Smart-PLS have the advantage of examining the model in two steps for a robust reliability and convergence check using the Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability (CR) methods [56]. According to [57], the Cronbach’s α and CR valuations are used to capture the visualization of internal reliability and consistency of the variables used for the analysis. According to the standards, the combined value of Cronbach’s α > 0.70, and CR 0.5–0.7 is considered to be an acceptable range [58]. Another consideration is the validity of convergence, estimated through the average variance extracted (AVE) and outer loading values [6]. These values, as seen in

Table 1. Demographic characteristics.

Age			Gender			Current Work Duration
Profile	Frequency	%	Profile	Frequency	%	Profile	Frequency	%
18–24	122	30.39	M	195	48.57	≤5	192	47.72
25–29	62	15.40
30–34	87	21.67				6–10	100	24.91
35–39	43	10.65
40–44	28	6.89	F	207	51.43	11–15	74	18.52
45–49	13	3.34
50–54	35	8.73				16≥	36	8.85
55–59	12	2.93
Total	402	100	Total	402	100	Total	402	100

, show that each AVE value was greater than the threshold of 0.5. We assessed the structural model based on linearity and path modeling significance. According to another recommendation, cross-loading criteria were used to gauge the discriminant validity and Heterotrait–Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) [58].

Table 2. Confirmatory factor analysis. *** p < 0.001.

Construct	Items	Factor Loading	α	Rho-A	CR	AVE	VIF
Career sustainability (CS)	CS1	0.845 ***	0.946	0.952	0.653	0.629	1.268
	CS2	0.794 ***
	CS3	0.794 ***
	CS4	0.798 ***
	CS5	0.569 ***
	CS6	0.635 ***
	CS7	0.790 ***
	CS8	0.664 ***
	CS9	0.661 ***
	CS10	0.867 ***
	CS11	0.738 ***
	CS12	0.842 ***
Knowledge sharing (KS)	KS1	0.820 ***	0.928	0.950	0.638	0.580	1.739
	KS2	0.490 ***
	KS3	0.780 ***
	KS4	0.584 ***
	KS5	0.768 ***
	KS6	0.778 ***
	KS7	0.757 ***
	KS8	0.780 ***
	KS9	0.584 ***
	KS10	0.468 ***
	KS11	0.523 ***
Management polychronicity (MP)	MP1	0.790 ***	0.936	0.919	0.664	0.450	1.503
	MP2	0.782 ***
	MP3	0.764 ***
	MP4	0.760 ***
	MP5	0.682 ***
	MP6	0.856 ***
	MP7	0.845 ***
	MP8	0.784 ***
	MP9	0.676 ***
	MP10	0.864 ***

reports the correlations among all of the variables. We checked the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) values for multicollinearity problems, and our results showed all of the VIF values to be between 1.257 and 2.75; according to [59], this shows that there is no collinearity challenge with the construct.

5.4. Hypothesis Testing

To assess the hypotheses, the PLS results were evaluated using 5000-bootstrap resampling technique in SmartPLS [46]. Before estimating the LMS models, we checked the descriptive statistics and correlation (

Table 3. Descriptive statistics and correlations.

Construct	Mean	SD	WHX	MP	KS	CS
WHX	0.444	0.18	0.704
MP	3.163	0.832	0.836	0.671
KS	2.813	1.788	−0.183	−0.184	0.792
CS	4.303	0.992	−0.131	−0.000 ***	0.654	0.793

N = 346. AVE figures are shown on the diagonal in bold. *** p < 0.001.

) then the data fitness of the partial mediation model. First, the direct path between WFX and CS was established as the baseline model, and according to our construct this model showed a good fit for the dataset. KS was included as a mediator (H2), before adding MP (H3) as a moderator for the indirect relationship between WFX and CS via KS, to establish the full LMS model. We proceeded by using the stepwise approach to add the interaction terms, where only the significant interactions were retained in the full LMS model. According to the level of fitness, LMS showed a significantly improved fit for the baseline model when the moderator was added (df = 0.758, p < 0.001). The results showed that MP moderated the indirect path between WFX and CS via KS (β = 0.114, p < 0.001). The overall R² value (0.699) indicated that the explanatory power of the model was favorable, at 69.9% of the variance in CS (dependent variable). As shown in

Table 4. Moderated mediation results.

Hypothesis	Mean	SD	T-Stats	p-Values
WFX→CS	−0.337	0.058	5.827	0.000
WFX→KS	−0.097	0.123	0.805	0.421
KS mediating WFX→CS	0.758	0.032	2.698	0.000
MP moderating WFX→CS	−0.105	0.090	1.119	0.264
MP moderating KS mediation	0.227	0.045	5.071	0.000

, the results suggested that WFX is negatively but significantly related to CS (H1, β = −0.337, p = 0.000), KS significantly mediates the WFX–CS relationship (H2, β = 0.758, p = 0.000), and MP positively moderates the mediating effect of KS (H1, β = 0.227, p = 0.000), thus supporting H1, H2, and H3. Moreover, other probes revealed that MP is not able to directly moderate the WFX–CS interactions without the intervention of KS.

According to the research results (Figure 4), the WFX–CS interaction (β = −0.337, p < 0.001) is negative, while KS mediation completely buffers the negative WFX–CS interaction into a significantly positive relation (β = 0.758, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, MP does not directly moderate the WFX–CS relation, but through KS, MP presents a strong moderating effect on the WFX–CS interaction. The CS relation was significant at a low level, (WFX: 0.196 to 0.568), contrary to the high level of negative KS (β = −0.0340, p < 0.001, WFX: −0.148 to −0.080). In accordance with H3, the indirect WFX–CS relationship through KS is highly dependent on MP, such that the path is stronger at a higher value.

6. Discussion

This research had two objectives: (i) examining the mediating function of KS in the WFX–CS mechanism, and (ii) establishing a moderating function of MP in the relationship between KS and CS to amend the negative impact of distance in the WFX organizational culture changes, where MP serves as a moderator among KS, WFX, and CS in the post-pandemic era of unpredictable organizational changes. We based these objectives on the literature and related theories like the SET. Prior studies have supported the unprecedented turbulence in corporate management due to the pandemic and the relevance of KS and MP’s dispositions to bridge the communication and dislocation disturbances caused by the new remote working culture in the new normal [60]. KS among workers, according to the SET, is a remedial solution for different communication disconnects. The SET is closely related to workers’ personality traits and behaviors, especially in the case of communication barriers. Therefore, the SET supports the mediating and moderating roles of KS and MP in the WFX-CS mechanism. Responding to these pertinent challenges in our turbulent time, our research aimed to explore these critical relationships for WFX structural changes and CS in organizations, especially those that need to employ people working from a distance. This research determined a widespread relationship between WFX and CS (H1, H2, and H3) as the fundamental mediating and moderating impact of KS and MP, respectively. The results of our models partly indicate a validation for the moderated mediation hypotheses. To satisfy the expectations, with the new WFX structure, organizations do not show enough guarantee of CS, but this can be partially mediated by KS. Taken together, these findings support the SET by proving that KS or stronger interaction among workers can amend the social distancing culture in the WFX new normal in organizations. Finally, MP can serve as a strategic administration structure to rescue careers in the new normal.

6.1. Multi-Dimensional Effect of Management Polychronicity (Theoretical Implications)

This research provides a significant theoretical addition to the KM literature by bringing the SET into the KM discussion. According to our results, the relationship between WFX and CS via KS is not straightforward. Organizations that have emphasized introducing KS as an integral part of their culture were more satisfied with their productivity; subsequently, workers perceived that their careers were more sustainable due to their high satisfaction and outcomes. This implies that certain elements of WFX, like social distancing, cause employee distraction and discourage KS among employees. Our findings are similar to those reported in [59,61], but we went further to establish the reasons why WFX and CS were associated with mixed feelings among organizations.

• Management polychronicity: Overlaying

Employees who are likely to sustain their careers for a long time are those who are more content with multitasking no matter the distance from the traditional job setting. In this regard, the individual needs to exhibit strong overlaying polychronic characteristics in different contexts. This is particularly applicable to workers in the post-pandemic era, which is riddled with the WFX organizational culture. These workers in the current era typically WFX, which means distance from a fixed working space and time, essentially equating to overlaying many activities at the same time. This can also mean that workers could be engaged in many jobs at the same time, therefore increasing their likelihood of frequently changing jobs. Furthermore, as expected, KS mediates the WFX–CS relationship according to our findings, satisfying the SET’s position that career productivity is subjective to social exchange, where stronger social interaction among workers enables individuals to make their knowledge, present experiences, and future aspirations available for the benefit of the entire team [62]. Taken together, these findings establish the importance of KS workers facing a distance gap challenge, and that hiding knowledge—as opposed to objective KS—is especially detrimental to career sustainability in the time of WFX. This study also elucidates the conditions under which organizational shifts are related to CS. We found that MP moderated the relationships between WFX and CS.

• Management polychronicity: Switching

The explanation for switching between tasks could be that management strategies relate to workers’ devotion to work when supported by the organization’s administration, hence allowing workers’ attention towards switching between posts and tasks. This means that organizational MP may encourage self-confidence and subsequently embolden the conviction of WFX workers who like doing multiple things at the same time, changing between many tasks at the same time, and working without any time restrictions [63]. These results also mean that the culture of KS may primarily establish a positive relationship between WFX and CS at the individual or organizational level [64]. In conclusion, it is essential to emphasize the need for strategic administrative structures that respond to the situation on the ground, like MP in this case. For instance, in the case of freelance jobs, workers would likely perceive their career as a temporary one regardless of their career competencies and outcomes [10,65] Our results are therefore particularly applicable to organizations with unstable and distant work management structures similar to those of the sample companies in this research.

• Management polychronicity: Interleaving

Evidently, interleaving polychronic tasking is another significant contribution to the CS literature, showing that organizations that have adopted a WFX work culture as a response to the post-pandemic era are more likely to ensure CS if a culture of KS and MP is intentionally and intensively introduced into the management structure. According to interleaving polychronicity, employees may be generally polychronic in a bigger project for a period of time but monochronic at a smaller scale in a given shorter timeframe. In other words, individuals may enjoy working on several projects for a given timespan but prefer to focus on one task for a long period of time [66]. Our results are also in line with [67]’s reasoning, which asserts that CS serves as a career-related input in KM and HRM strategies. Also, in responding to contextualized approaches to career development research, we introduced the SET as an extension of empirical work on both career resources like CS and contextual factors like WFX into a model of organization in the post-pandemic era. Thus, this research indicates that KS and MP are essential employment factors in tandem with WFX and CS. Taken together, this research demonstrates that other studies researching the interplay between theoretical, contextual, and current factors are needed.

6.2. Practical Implications

The results of this research are of practical significance for organizations, especially in the post-pandemic new normal for managers and employees. Primarily, this research shows that WFX is a management structure that is negatively associated with securing CS. Thus, organizations that actively invest in their management structures in the new normal should be better off by establishing the foundation of successful careers in the long term. Furthermore, MP plays an essential impact in relating with KS to enhance CS [67,68]. Implicitly, more than the proactive and continuous management restructuring strategies, organizations should invest in coping strategies, such as WFX—an obvious disposition in the new normal—and future breakthroughs in accomplishing career projects [8]. HRM and career guidance departments could profit from our findings to foster adaptability to WFX and similar rapidly changing organizational cultures. Rescue plans, such as KS and MP training programs and career guidance, could help workers to better understand their careers and better handle organizational shocks’ impact on sustainable career development. Specifically, this study’s findings are important for identifying effective intervention strategies for resilient and sustainable career success in times of abrupt organizational structural changes like social lockdown, operational reform, protest, and the like. Moreover, effective long-term preparation for eventualities for redefining the implications of abrupt readjustments or reevaluating occupational concepts and productivity options may provide support to organizations, enabling them to be ready for different categories of shocks.

7. Conclusions

Subjected to the compelling post-COVID-19 new normal, characterized by global geopolitical volatility and smart infrastructure, the corporate landscape has been reconfigured, with constantly evolving work arrangements. WFX, one of the widely adopted work arrangements, though characterized by a relatively high level of flexibility, calls for a corresponding rate of KS for a productive team output. However, the regulatory impact of KS on the WFX–CS interaction remains somewhat puzzling; therefore, this study employed MP as a managerial instrument to remedy the eventual shortcomings in the KS-WFX-CS model. This study goes further to introduce and examine the switching, overlaying, and interleaving typologies of MP as befitting work arrangements that guarantee productivity in the WFX context. Indeed, MP significantly moderates the effect of WFX inconsistencies on CS, and this is even better achieved through KS. The MP model is an interface of a marriage between some workers switching between posts and tasks, others overlaying different tasks in a given time period, and others combining switching and overlaying duties, independent of their geographical location and time, and relatively dependent on the workers preference, ability, and/or assignment.

8. Limitations

In spite of the contributions of this study, some limitations were encountered and could be the basis for future research. Primarily, this study investigated interactions between the variables from various dimensions. However, the analysis did not address the question of causality between the variables, because of the cross-sectional data analysis. As established earlier, the WFX and CS mechanism is theoretically improved by KS. However, a reciprocal relationship is also possible. This means that the level of CS previously secured can promote KS among workers, which will, in turn, be a CS booster [60]. This implies that further studies could use longitudinal data constructs to build on the findings of this research and investigate the causal relations between the variables. Secondly, in the WFX concept, social exchange is an essential player in the KS process and CS. However, it is rather important to investigate the percentage of CS factors that correspond with actual employment expectations. This implies that MP may also contribute to CS by encouraging individuals’ self-confidence, which, in reality, it has not. Subsequent studies could probe further into this question to consolidate our model. Moreover, future research could examine whether our results could be generalized to all career types and across the landscape, like in European, African, American, or Asian countries. Overall, this study makes several contributions. Lastly, because the WFX concept used for this research is quite novel, further studies could identify all of the surrounding conditions of the WFX situation, especially in the specific case of each organization. So far, WFX’s conceptualization is still not yet clearly outlined–for instance, for HRM to design effective management strategies for resistant career development processes in the long term despite abrupt changes. More research could explore WFX further from different perspectives, like empirical research, to explore the quantity, frequency, and intensity of the causal impact of WFX on CS [69]. For instance, the relationship between WFX and CS may differ between different departments or various workers in the same company, and there may be certain thresholds where the impact of WFX on career development has different intensities. Such threshold effects have not yet been empirically tested [62]. We therefore argue that this research is an important precursor for deeper research on the new normal WFX dispositions.