The Relationship Between New Ways of Working and Motivational Climate: The Moderating Role of Digital Mindset

Abstract

Many organizations now operate in more digitalized arenas using technology to facilitate a more flexible way of organizing work that better caters to the modern workforce. Referred to as ‘New Ways of Working (NWW)’, this way of organizing work involves greater flexibility in both timing and location of work using information and communication technology. Drawing on the achievement goal theory, the current study investigates the relationship between NWW and motivational climate and proposes the role of digital mindset as a moderator of the relationship. Data was gathered from 247 employees within the Norwegian workforce and show a positive relationship between NWW and mastery climate. However, results show no support for the moderator hypothesis, but a positive association between a digital fixed mindset and a performance climate is found. Practical implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.