Virtual Presenteeism and Employee Well-Being in Remote Work From the Perspective of the Job Demands–Resources Model

This study examines virtual presenteeism as a critical outcome of remote work, focusing on the national context of Türkiye. Although remote work has been associated with flexibility, it also generates health risks by encouraging employees to work despite illness. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) framework, we conducted a qualitative study and analysed responses from 167 remote employees in the private sector to an open-ended question form, using thematic analysis integrated with qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal that remote employees in Türkiye experience intensified job demands, including illness stigmatization, gendered overcompensation and managerial neglect, which push individuals to continue working despite being unwell. Married women with children recounted the strains of balancing professional and caregiving responsibilities while feeling pressured to overperform and avoid taking sick leave. In contrast, supportive managerial practices emerged as a critical job resource, enabling employees to prioritize health and well-being despite the challenges of remote work. Additionally, participants highlighted how managerial neglect and lack of health-oriented support amplified stress and limited recovery. These insights extend existing literature by demonstrating how remote work settings, when poorly resourced, intensify presenteeism behaviours that negatively affect employee well-being.